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More blue states declare themselves sanctuaries for transgender health care

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

Amanda Hernández | Stateline.org (TNS)Democratic governors and state lawmakers across the country are mobilizing against a surge of Republican restrictions on transgender health care by establishing their states as sanctuaries for gender-affirming care.Earlier this month, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore signed an executive order making Maryland the 11th state, plus the District of Columbia, to declare itself a sanctuary. A bill in New York has cleared the legislature and is awaiting the signature of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.Last year, California became the first state to declare itself a sanctuary. It has since been joined by Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington. A growing number of cities, including New York City; Kansas City, Missouri; and West Hollywood, California, also have become sanctuaries.These states and cities are emerging as havens with legal protections to shield health care providers, transgen...

UC Berkeley grad student found dead in Mexico

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

(AP) — For four years, Gabriel Trujillo trekked the breadth of the United States and south into Mexico in search of a flowering shrub called the common buttonbush.The plant is native to the varied climates of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Trujillo, a 31-year-old Ph.D. student at the University of California, Berkeley, wanted to know why it thrived in such a range of places. Trujillo was on track to complete his Ph.D. at Berkeley in 2025.His research was tragically cut short last week in Mexico, where he was shot seven times, Trujillo’s father said. Authorities discovered his body on June 22 in the state of Sonora, in northwest Mexico, days after his fiancée reported him missing."Gabe was a passionate ecologist, field biologist, and advocate for diverse voices in science," the university’s Department of Integrative Biology wrote to its campus community. "We all face a world that is less bright for this loss."The killing has left the family reeling and searching for answers in a case t...

Australia extends lead over England to 221 runs before rain ends Day 3 at Lord’s

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Australia dug out a hefty lead of 221 runs against England before drizzle prematurely ended day three of the second Ashes test at Lord’s on Friday.Usman Khawaja fronted Australia’s dogged fight in bowler-friendly conditions with an unbeaten 58 from 123 balls.His 60-odd partnerships with fellow opener David Warner then Marnus Labuschagne kept Australia on top. Khawaja had Steve Smith beside him on 6 when stumps was called at 130-2 in their second innings, and 25 overs left unused in the day.The Australians, already 1-0 up in the series, would be aiming for a lead of around 450 and a chance to bowl at England before tea on Saturday.They’re mindful, though, of trying to win without Nathan Lyon, their frontline spinner who was out injured after hurting his right calf running to the ball after tea on Thursday. He came to Lord’s on crutches and had a “significant” strain, Cricket Australia said.England squandered the gains it made on Thursday. The bat...

The sun may be out, but guns are not. A lawsuit challenges a new gun ban on Hawaii beaches

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — Sun’s out, guns out? Not on Hawaii’s world-famous beaches.Beginning Saturday, a new law prohibits carrying a firearm on the sand — and in other places, including banks, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.Three Maui residents are suing to block the measure, arguing that Hawaii — which has long had some of the strictest gun laws in the nation and some of the lowest rates of gun violence — is going too far with its wide-ranging ban.Residents carrying guns in public is new to Hawaii. Before a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year expanded gun rights nationwide, Hawaii’s county police chiefs made it virtually impossible to carry a gun by rarely issuing permits to do so — either for open carry or concealed carry. Gun owners were only allowed to keep firearms in their homes or to transport them — unloaded and locked up — to shooting ranges, hunting areas and places such as repair shops. The high court’s ruling found that people in the U.S. have a right ...

A bobcat attacks a camper sleeping in a hammock at a Connecticut state park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A bobcat attacked a camper sleeping in a hammock at a Connecticut state park Friday, state environmental officials said. The man was among several adults leading a group of youth campers on an outing to Selden Neck State Park, an island in the Connecticut river in Lyme, according to a release from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.The man was sleeping early Friday morning when the bobcat attacked him, the DEEP said. He and two other adult leaders were able to subdue the animal and kill it, officials said. The department did not say how that was accomplished.None of the children on the trip came into contact with the animal, the agency said.“Due to their courageous and outstanding efforts, the safety of the youth was maintained, and they were not harmed,” Deputy Commissioner Michael Williams said in a statement.All three men were taken to a local hospital for treatment of various injuries inflicted by the cat during the encounter, offi...

Seeking to curb racial bias in medicine, Doris Duke Fund awards $10 million to health groups

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation is awarding more than $10 million to five health organizations to reconsider the use of race in medical algorithms, which research shows can lead to potentially dangerous results for patients of color.Physicians have used medical assessment tools and algorithms since the 1970s to help make decisions about patient care. These tools look at multiple factors including, unbeknownst to most patients, race. Recent studies have found that some algorithms that consider race lead to biased assessments and the denial of treatment options.For example, one study found that a kidney-function calculator adjusted measurements for Black patients in a way that made them more likely to be ineligible to get on a kidney transplant list. Another calculator used to determine whether it was healthy for pregnant women to deliver vaginally if they had ever had a C-section underestimated the odds for Black and Hispanic women.The Doris Duke Foundation’s grants come amid a ...

Catcher interference on the rise as big league backstops squeeze in for pitch framing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Trying to make the most of his powerful swing, White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. lets the ball run deep into the strike zone sometimes.That’s when it happens.“When I do that, the catchers, they might think that I am not swinging (for) the ball and they try to reach the ball while I am swinging,” Robert said through a translator. “I think that’s the reason why in my case.”The end result is often interference, putting Robert on first base and handing an error to the catcher. It has happened to Robert five times already this season, and he is far from alone.Through Thursday’s big league games, there have been 57 catcher interference calls, up from 38 at the same point last year. The number was 35 through June 29 in 2021 and 30 in 2019, according to Sportradar. The 2020 season started on July 23 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.Since 1974, the highest single-season total for catcher interference calls is 74 last year, followed by 62 in 2021.The increase ...

Five year plan released for KFL&A healthcare

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

Healthcare providers in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington have released a new five year plan that aims at tackling the gaps that exist in the local healthcare system. It’s part of a province wide effort to build Ontario Health Teams (OHT) that can look to build community oriented partnerships to pursue healthcare solutions that fit within the landscape of individual regions. The FLA OHT is one of 54 teams that blanket Ontario, and the area was one of the first to adopt the the Ministry of Health initiative in 2021. FLA OHT combines over 300 healthcare and wellness providers in the region, including large partners like Queen’s University, Providence Care and Kingston Community Health Centres.The local health team’s Executive Lead, Kim Morrison, says this is really the first opportunity the province has given communities to build solutions from the ground up. She says it’s no secret that the state of the healthcare system is not enviable, but this c...

$80K worth of fireworks confiscated by Denver police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The Denver Police Department seized about $80,000 in illegal fireworks on Monday, the department posted on its Facebook page with a video of what was confiscated. As officers are focused on cracking down on illegal fireworks before the Fourth of July holiday, a tip led them to a residence in southwest Denver. DPD said officers found approximately $80,000 in fireworks being illegally sold from the home. Colorado’s fireworks laws have a wide range. Here’s what you need to know The DPD District 4 narcotics team and the bomb squad were able to collect all the fireworks for safe disposal."As a reminder, ALL fireworks are illegal to sell, purchase, possess and light in Denver," the post on the Facebook page read.DPD asks anyone with information about the illegal sale of fireworks in the Mile High City to call 720-913-2000 and press 2 or Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867).

Road construction to stop for July 4th weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:37:37 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The Colorado Department of Transportation is reminding people to prepare for traffic on one of the year's busiest travel weekends. Colorado is one of the nation's best places to find a getaway considering its ready access to the outdoors and in-state recreational destinations. Traffic will be even worse than usual this year according to AAA, which predicts a July 4 travel record. Coors Field covered in hail after storm in Denver "AAA projects 50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Independence Day weekend, setting a new record for the holiday," according to a release. "Domestic travel over the long weekend will increase by 2.1 million people compared to 2022. This year’s projection surpasses the previous July 4th weekend record set in 2019 of 49 million travelers."To help minimize potential traffic delays, CDOT is suspending all construction and maintenance projects from midday Friday until Wednesday, July 5. The only exception is...