Prime Minister Andrew Holness arrived in Namibia yesterday for what his office said was the first official State visit by a Jamaican head of Government to that country.
state
A parking lot argument ended in a deadly shooting this weekend and sparked protests in Clearwater, Florida. The sheriff said the gunman would not be charged because of the state’s “stand your ground” law. Meg Oliver reports.
Visit link:
Protesters demand charges in wake of a deadly shooting in Florida
A parking lot argument ended in a deadly shooting this weekend and sparked protests in Clearwater, Florida. The sheriff said the gunman would not be charged because of the state’s “stand your ground” law. Meg Oliver reports.
Link:
Protesters demand charges in wake of a deadly shooting in Florida
R&B finalises tender of longest bridge over Chenab, work to start next month
JAMMU, July 21: The State R&B authorities have cleared the tender for construction of longest ever bridge in J&K over river Chenab in Akhnoor sector, …
Follow this link:
R&B finalises tender of longest bridge over Chenab, work to start next month
R&B finalises tender of longest bridge over Chenab, work to start next month
JAMMU, July 21: The State R&B authorities have cleared the tender for construction of longest ever bridge in J&K over river Chenab in Akhnoor sector, …
View post:
R&B finalises tender of longest bridge over Chenab, work to start next month
LONG BRANCH, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a bill banning smoking at public beaches and parks unless local communities explicitly opt out and set aside a small smoking section. Murphy was in Long Branch on Friday morning to sign a measure that was passed by the state Legislature last month. “The Jersey Shore has always been one of our state’s – and nation’s – great natural treasures, and a place for families to enjoy,” Murphy said in a statement. “Signing this legislation demonstrates my firm commitment to protecting our environment and public health while preserving the quality and cleanliness of our public beaches and park areas.” Like previous versions of the bill that have failed, the bill doesn’t specify who would be responsible for enforcing it: lifeguards, police or someone else. Murphy said it shouldn’t be lifeguards, but left it to towns to decide enforcement. The bill takes effect in six months and allows for designated smoking areas of 15 percent of a beach. Smokers also would be allowed to light up in parking lots. Fines would start at $250 for a first offense and go up to $1,000 for a third offense. (© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
See the rest here:
New Jersey Bans Smoking On Beaches And In Parks
LONG BRANCH, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a bill banning smoking at public beaches and parks unless local communities explicitly opt out and set aside a small smoking section. Murphy was in Long Branch on Friday morning to sign a measure that was passed by the state Legislature last month. “The Jersey Shore has always been one of our state’s – and nation’s – great natural treasures, and a place for families to enjoy,” Murphy said in a statement. “Signing this legislation demonstrates my firm commitment to protecting our environment and public health while preserving the quality and cleanliness of our public beaches and park areas.” Like previous versions of the bill that have failed, the bill doesn’t specify who would be responsible for enforcing it: lifeguards, police or someone else. Murphy said it shouldn’t be lifeguards, but left it to towns to decide enforcement. The bill takes effect in six months and allows for designated smoking areas of 15 percent of a beach. Smokers also would be allowed to light up in parking lots. Fines would start at $250 for a first offense and go up to $1,000 for a third offense. (© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Original post:
New Jersey Bans Smoking On Beaches And In Parks
New Jersey Supreme Court Considers Dismissing Hundreds Of Thousands Of Minor Cases
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – New Jersey may toss out more than 780,000 old warrants for minor offenses, like parking violations and local ordinance violations. As CBS2’s Andrea Grymes reports, it’s part of an effort to improve the state’s municipal court system. Elmon Grant, of Montclair, says he still owes money on parking tickets he got back in the 1970s. Thanks to this new push, those fees may finally be dropped. “Very good idea, because I still owe about $2,000,” he said. He’s not alone, Grymes reports. The state’s Supreme Court is considering dismissing minor cases that are unresolved and more than 15 years old. For example, from 1986 to 2003, there are more than 780,000 open warrants for failure to appear, like in cases for parking tickets and moving violations. In an order issued Thursday, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner wrote that these outstanding complains and open warrants, “raise questions of fairness, the appropriate use of limited public resources… and administrative efficiency.” Jeanne Locicero, with the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, says this is a big step in the right direction. “New Jersey’s municipal courts need more oversight and they really oftentimes are prioritizing revenue over justice,” she said. She says the overdue fines add up, disproportionately affecting the poor. The court will not consider tossing more serious offenses, like driving while intoxicated or driving with a suspended license. A three-judge panel will conduct a series of hearings across the state on the potential case dismissals. Not all New Jersey residents are on board. “I think people should pay their fines no matter how long they’ve been out. On the other hand, if that proves to be impractical and the state wants to let it all go, I think the state owes something to the towns,” one man said. This comes just days after a Supreme Court committee report found significant concerns in the state’s municipal court system. Hearing dates have not been announced yet.
Continued here:
New Jersey Supreme Court Considers Dismissing Hundreds Of Thousands Of Minor Cases
A College Administrator Told 'The New York Times,' Rap Is Not 'Real Music.' His President Called …
A State University of New York at New Paltz administrator said rap music was not “real music,” prompting the institution to respond, calling his …
More:
A College Administrator Told 'The New York Times,' Rap Is Not 'Real Music.' His President Called …
SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA/AP) — California health officials say an infant has died from whooping cough — the first such infant death in the state since 2016. The Department of Public Health said Tuesday that the baby was from San Bernardino County but didn’t provide any other details. Two infants died of the disease in 2016. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory ailment that can spread through coughing. Dr. Karen Smith, director of the state health department, says the latest death is especially tragic because the disease is preventable. “This serves as a grim reminder that whooping cough is always present in our communities, and immunizations are the first line of defense,” she said in a statement. Health officials urge expectant mothers to get a whooping cough booster shot. Parents are urged to immunize babies as soon as possible. The symptoms of whooping cough vary by age. Young infants may not have typical whooping cough symptoms and no apparent cough, while older children may start out with a runny nose and cough for up to two weeks that can worsen in rapid coughing spells that end with a whooping sounds. (© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Follow this link:
San Bernardino County Baby Dies From Whooping Cough
The suit describes Richard Strauss as “a prolific sexual predator” who might have assaulted 1,500 or more male students at Ohio State
Read more here:
Wrestlers sue Ohio State over late doctor’s "rampant sexual misconduct"
Opioid Epidemic: New Jersey Mulls Expansion Of Medical Marijuana Program To Treat Addiction
MORRISTOWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — New Jersey is considering an expansion of the state’s medical marijuana program to include opioid addiction as a qualifying condition, but some experts have voiced concern. More than 22,000 people in New Jersey died of drug overdoses in 2016. While the cure for opioid addiction remains a mystery, NJ Department of Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal says he’s exploring the idea of making medical marijuana a potential treatment for the state and nationwide scourge. “Right now the consideration is adding it as an addition to what’s called medication-assisted treatment, that is the evidence-based treatment people get for addiction,” he said. “When they’re addicted it actually helps them get off and get into recovery.” Right now, patients dealing with opioid use disorder can only access medical marijuana if their addiction was rooted in treatment for chronic pain. The commissioner says medical marijuana also gives doctors another option when first prescribing for pain. “It reduces the reliance physicians have on opioids to treat pain,” Elnahal said. “Marijuana is an effective treatment for pain.” Psychologist and addiction expert Dr. Harris Stratyner says there’s insufficient evidence that the use of marijuana will stop someone from using heroin or other opioids. “There’s just not enough scientific research out there to show it’s effective,” Stratyner says. “It may be dangerous and trigger opioid addiction if that’s your drug of choice.” Elnahal knows it’s an ambitious plan. “What we want to do is set up studies that actually investigate if it can be independently used as yet another tool getting people out of addiction,” Elnahal said. Stratyner points out that many people who use drugs have psychiatric disorders and are self-medicating with either opioids or stimulants, and he fears using marijuana could cloud the picture. In March, the DOH added five qualifying conditions for medical marijuana including anxiety, migraines, and chronic pains. The program has added 10,000 patients since the start of Governor Phil Murphy’s term in January, bringing total enrollment to over 25,000 people.
See the article here:
Opioid Epidemic: New Jersey Mulls Expansion Of Medical Marijuana Program To Treat Addiction
LOS ANGELES (AP) — California’s forgotten U.S. Senate candidate has finally had a memorable moment. Kevin de Leon, a sparsely known liberal legislator trying to oust U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, staged an insider coup Saturday by winning the endorsement of state Democratic Party leaders. The embarrassing snub to Feinstein was a testament to the leftward shift of California Democratic activists in the age of President Donald Trump, highlighting a long-running split between the party establishment and its restive liberal wing. But the benefit of de Leon’s star turn — occurring at a time when voters are thinking about the beach and barbeques, not the ballot box — is likely to be fleeting. It’s “the strongest signal yet of just how far to the left California’s Democratic activists have moved, how emboldened they are by their party’s dominance in the state and how much the Trump presidency has polarized our politics,” said University of California, San Diego political scientist Thad Kousser. “But it’s only a signal about the party’s most activist core, not a sign that everyday voters are choosing a pure progressive over a pragmatist,” Kousser said in an email. “It may breathe new life into a campaign that was on CPR … but it doesn’t chart a path to victory for a candidate who has always earned the strong support of activists while remaining a virtual unknown to the average California voter.” So far, the state senator’s challenge to the more moderate Feinstein has been largely an annoyance for his fellow Democrat, rather than a threat to her winning a fifth, full term. In the June primary Feinstein trounced de Leon, carrying every county in the state while he finished a distant second and struggled to break into double digits. California’s primary system sends only the two highest vote-getters to the general election, regardless of party. With the endorsement from the state party’s roughly 360-member executive board, de Leon will benefit from party money, volunteers and organizing help. But he remains a long shot. Feinstein is an institution in California politics, while de Leon remains largely unknown. She continues to hold a vast advantage in fundraising. As the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, she is about to enter a sustained period in the national spotlight, as televised hearings begin on the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. De Leon fired out a fundraising appeal Sunday, highlighting his endorsement. He said the vote showed his campaign is a “real alternative to the worn-out Washington playbook,” an obvious reference to Feinstein, who is 85. “It’s time for a new generation of leadership who will roll up their sleeves and fight to advance a bold agenda,” he said. With only two Democrats on the ballot in November, de Leon’s challenge will be attracting support from beyond his liberal base. He has built his campaign around his support for universal health care, fighting climate change and recently called for abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. While energizing the party’s liberal wing, abolishing the immigration agency and overhauling the health care system might give pause to moderate and independent voters de Leon needs to mount a credible challenge. That rift in the national party’s direction — and the risk that comes with it — was summed up in a speech last week by Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons, who warned that Democrats need to stress pragmatic ideas, not “pie-in-the-sky” promises. He cautioned against proposals “that might sound great in a tweet, like free college and free health care.” De Leon’s endorsement follows the victory last month of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old political novice running on a liberal platform, over longtime U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley in New York. The deep split in the party was witnessed in the 2016 presidential contest between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. And in the California party, liberal favorite Kimberly Ellis nearly captured the organization’s top job last year. Longtime Democratic National Committee member Bob Mulholland, who supports Feinstein, noted that in 1990, when Feinstein was running for governor, the state party endorsed a rival Democrat, John Van de Kamp. Feinstein went on to win the Democratic primary, but ultimately lost to Republican Pete Wilson. Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney said Feinstein retains significant advantages and is positioned to collect most Republican votes in November, with only two Democrats on the ballot. But an upset remains possible, if unlikely. “If she fares poorly on the campaign trail or makes embarrassing gaffes, de Leon could pick up support from voters who think that he would be stronger champion against Trump,” Pitney said in an email. (© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
See the rest here:
Feinstein Remains Favorite In California Race Despite Snub
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Governor Andrew Cuomo and state health officials have released a report recommending the legalization of marijuana in New York State. The report , commissioned by the governor and released Friday, concludes that “taxing and regulating marijuana far outweighs any potential negative consequences.” The report recommends allowing recreational marijuana be made available to adults across the state and claims taxes would bring in over $1.3 billion each year from sales of the controversial substance. Cuomo first announced plans for the marijuana study during his executive budget proposal address. “We are pleased that the Governor and the State Department of Health have fully studied the existing evidence and accurately concluded that legalizing marijuana for adult use is the right choice for New York,” policy coordinator for the Drug Policy Alliance, Chris Alexander said in a statement. State officials also cited a 2017 poll which reportedly found that 62 percent of New York voters support making marijuana legal for adults over 21.
The rest is here:
Report Recommends Legalizing Marijuana In New York State
More Than 100 People Fall Ill From Parasite Possibly Linked To Salads At McDonald’s
By Debra Goldschmidt, CNN (CNN) — The Illinois and Iowa health departments are investigating outbreaks of a parasite that causes intestinal illness and might be linked to McDonald’s salads, both states said Thursday. Illinois is reporting 90 cases since mid-May. Iowa is reporting 15 cases since late June. File photo (Photo Credit: KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images) The cyclospora parasite causes intestinal illness as a result of consuming contaminated food or water. Symptoms can begin a week or more after consuming the parasite. They include diarrhea and frequent, sometimes explosive bowel movements, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those who are infected might also experience loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps or pain, nausea, gas and fatigue. Vomiting, headache, fever, body aches and flu-like symptoms can also occur. The illness can last from a few days to a few months and patients might feel better, then get worse again. Patients can be treated with antibiotics. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the illnesses have been reported across multiple counties in the state, although no counties were named. “The initial investigation indicates a link to consumption of McDonald’s salads produced for McDonald’s restaurants. Approximately one-fourth of Illinois cases reported eating salads from McDonald’s in the days before they became ill,” the health department said in a statement. The agency is asking that anyone who has eaten a McDonald’s salad since mid-May and experienced diarrhea and fatigue to contact a health care provider to be tested and receive treatment. Iowa health officials are asking the same of anyone who has developed symptoms after consuming one of these salads since the middle of June. “This summer there have been several clusters of Cyclospora illness associated with various foods that are commercially available,” a statement from the Iowa Department of Public Health said. “We’re working with CDC, FDA, and Iowa to investigate multiple potential sources,” Illinois health department spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said in an email. McDonald’s is cooperating with the CDC and US Food and Drug Administration in investigating the outbreak, according to the state health departments. McDonald’s said in an email it has been in contact with public health authorities from both states about an increase in Cyclospora infections. “Out of an abundance of caution, we decided to voluntarily stop selling salads at impacted restaurants until we can switch to another lettuce blend supplier,” the email said. “We are in the process of removing existing salad blend from identified restaurants and distribution centers — which includes approximately 3,000 of our U.S. restaurants primarily located in the Midwest.” The parasite cyclospora is the culprit behind an ongoing outbreak linked to recalled Del Monte Fresh vegetable trays; it’s linked to more than 200 illnesses in four states. The parasite is also to blame for an outbreak in Texas, although officials have not yet identified what’s making people sick there. The-CNN-Wire & © 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
Read more here:
More Than 100 People Fall Ill From Parasite Possibly Linked To Salads At McDonald’s