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Binge drinking, marijuana use hit historic highs for adults 35 to 50 in 2022, NIH says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The use of some substances reached an all-time high for adults aged 35 to 50 in 2022, according to the results of a National Institute of Health survey. Per the annual survey, binge drinks and the use of marijuana and hallucinogens reached a historical apex among adults aged 35 to 50. NIH researchers said binge drinking has declined among younger adults (19 to 30) over the last decade, but marijuana, hallucinogen and nicotine vaping use is up. Further, marijuana use and vaping were at their highest levels for younger adults in 2022. “Substance use is not limited to teens and young adults, and these data help us understand how people use drugs across the lifespan,” Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, said. “Understanding these trends is a first step, and it is crucial that research continues to illuminate how substance use and related health impacts may change over time. We want to ensure that people from the earliest to t...

Federal court hears challenge over Texas border buoys

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The state of Texas could be forced to remove its barrier of buoys along the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass, if a federal judge agrees with the U.S. Department of Justice that Texas overstepped its constitutional authority by installing the flotation devices.The Biden administration filed suit against Gov. Greg Abbott in late July over the state’s floatation barrier, arguing it violates international and federal law. In the lawsuit, the DOJ said Texas’ construction of buoys in the river violates the Rivers and Harbor Act, as it obstructs the “navigable capacity” of U.S. water. The filing also notes Texas did not obtain a prior permit from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, as required by the act. Federal attorneys are asking the courts to stop Texas from putting any more barriers in the water and to remove the current 1,000-foot stretch of buoys at its own expense. U.S. District Judge David Ezra will heard arguments in the case ...

Lift Bridge Brewing asks change in Stillwater code to manufacture THC-infused beverages

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

Sales of THC-infused drinks have been soaring since the Minnesota Legislature passed a bill last year that allowed consumers age 21 and older to purchase products that contain THC derived from hemp.Craft breweries such as Indeed, Modist, Bent Paddle and Surly jumped into gear to produce low-dose THC beverages.Now, Lift Bridge Brewing in Stillwater wants in on the action, and they want the Stillwater City Council to change its ordinance to allow for the manufacturing of THC-infused beverages in the city.Brad Glynn, the company’s co-owner, said the decision to branch out into THC-infused sales is a response to a changing market. “Vendors are asking for it,” he said. “Beer sales have been declining, and the newer generation is enjoying THC and other products.”Under state law, the THC used must be derived from hemp containing no more than 0.3 percent THC, and products must not contain more than 5 milligrams of THC per serving.Glynn earlier this month approached the council and asked the...

'It's a big deal': New student loan plan could cut payments for borrowers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Soon, millions of borrowers are going to have to start paying back their student loans again. The Biden administration is touting a new plan they say will help lower monthly payments and bring borrowers closer to forgiveness. On Tuesday, the Department of Education launched the "SAVE Plan," which Education Under Secretary James Kvaal calls the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever. "It's a big deal," Kvaal said.  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Under the SAVE Plan, monthly payments will be capped at 5% of a borrower's discretionary income. For some people, that means payments will drop to $0 a month. "It really is a dramatic difference in the amount borrowers are going to be expected to pay," Kvaal said. Also, students who borrowed $12,000 or less will have their debt completely forgiven after 10 years of payments. Every $1,000 past that will add another year of payment...

State climatologist: Heat causing high evaporation rates, no rainfall to place it

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – It's a hot topic, literally. What does this heat mean for drought conditions across the state?While many parts of Missouri saw rainfall earlier this month and drought conditions are improving, it's this heat that could cause the state to take two steps backwards because the evaporation rate is that much higher."We're losing potentially two-tenths of an inch of rainfall that fell on those fields every day when it gets this hot," Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Dru Buntin said. "It increases the loss of that moisture in the soil when you have these types of extreme heat."After the driest April and May since 1988 and now the heat, the agriculture industry continues to struggle. Farmers are left with tough decisions like sending cattle to market early due to a lack of feed. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News ...

Baby born during power outage at Los Angeles hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

Justin Ugaldo called his brand new baby boy a rock star.That’s because Jacob Phoenix Villabona Ugaldo was born during a power outage at Adventist Health White Memorial Monday night.Surely, mom deserves rock star status, too. Power outage forces critical condition patients from Los Angeles hospital Critical condition patients had to be transferred by ambulance to other hospitals amid the outage at the Boyle Heights hospital, but mom Eileen Villabona powered through her delivery.Eileen Villabona is seen in a photo provided by her family on Aug. 22, 2023. Using battery-powered flashlights to illuminate the hospital room, a dedicated team of doctors, firefighters and nurses made sure Jacob was delivered safely.Ugaldo said he was slightly nervous when the lights went out, but was grateful for everyone’s help.“When the lights went out we said ‘I hope they can come back on,’ but when it didn’t, they knew what to do, they kept us calm and we kept moving forward,” he said. Eventually, the...

Judge sentences Bay Area man to a year for laundering $1.5 million for San Francisco mafia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — A Cupertino man has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal custody for laundering more than $1.5 million for an undercover officer pretending to be a New York mob figure who was seeking help from an organization led by an infamous Bay Area gangster.Serge Gee, 37, was sentenced Aug. 15 by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer. Last April, Gee pleaded guilty to laundering money with the San Francisco-based Ghee Kung Tong criminal organization led by Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow.Prosecutors argued for a 34-month sentence, writing in a sentencing memo that Gee was brought into a money laundering conspiracy by his mother, Elaine Liang, who ran a “drug distribution network” that stretched to New York, Georgia and Massachusetts. They acknowledged, though, that Gee “willingly returned from abroad” to face these criminal charges.The undercover FBI agent gave Gee and others the impression that the money he was laundering came fro...

Critics of expansion say Oakland airport’s zero-emissions plan is missing most crucial element

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

The Port of Oakland’s plan to reduce carbon emissions at the Oakland International Airport leaves out a crucial element, according to critics of its planned expansion: emissions from actual flights.The port’s announcement this week of its plan for a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions at the airport by 2040 comes just days after a broad coalition of organizations rallied at the airport to protest plans to build a new terminal, add more gates and ultimately increase air traffic in the East Bay.Lin Griffith, a member of the steering committee for Stop OAK Expansion Coalition, which organized last week’s protest, said the plan represents merely a drop in the bucket of the airport’s emissions, primarily because it leaves out the biggest emitters.“Ninety-nine percent of emissions are from the airplanes themselves, not airport emissions,” Griffith said. “That’s what we need to reduce.”In pursuit of its emissions goal, the airport has already begu...

'Aggressive shark behavior' reported off San Mateo Coast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

(KRON) -- Aggressive shark behavior was reported Tuesday in the vicinity of Pebble Beach, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. A kayaker had a close encounter with a shark that was behaving aggressively, but emerged unharmed, police said. Person robbed, dragged by 2 armed suspects in Oakland: video The encounter occurred just south of Pescadero, a state beach jurisdiction.No further information is available at this time.

Two lanes closed due to fire along Highway 101

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:38 GMT

(KRON) -- Two lanes are blocked on northbound US-101 in Menlo Park due to a brush fire, according to a 511 alert. The fire is north of Willow Road in Menlo Park. The two right lanes are blocked. Caltrans' traffic camera shows traffic on northbound US-101 slowed to a crawl due to the closures. Drivers are advised to take alternate routes to avoid the area. There is no estimated time for the roadway to reopen. This is a developing story. Stick with KRON4 for updates.