Mound Bayou, MS

Philadelphia, PA

This is FRESH AIR. I'm Sam Briger, sitting in for Terry Gross. Our guest today, Dr. Ala Stanford, has done lifesaving work in the operating room and on the streets of Philadelphia, where she grew up. As a pediatric surgeon, she performed thousands of operations on children, including babies born prematurely. Her hours in the operating room took a toll on her hands, and a shoulder injury from a car accident curtailed her work as a surgeon. But she found another lifesaving calling as an activist, providing medical help for Black people in underserved Philadelphia neighborhoods.

When poor Black communities were struggling with COVID, this surgeon stepped in

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Herbie J Pilato

Actor Buddy Ebsen, who died at age 95 in 2003, found fame by starring in two of the most popular classic television shows in history: The Beverly Hillbillies (CBS, 1962 to 1971) and Barnaby Jones (CBS, 1973 to 1980). On the Hillbillies, he played former Tennessee country mountain-folk-turned-wealthy Beverly Hills resident Jed Clampett. On Barnaby Jones, he was one of TV's most senior, slyest, health-conscious detectives. Ebsen, however, almost became even more famous for a certain big-screen classic film in which he ultimately did not appear.

'Beverly Hillbillies" Actor Buddy Ebsen Was "Bitter" about not playing the Tin Man in 'Wizard of Oz'

Mont Belvieu, TX

A federal judge has dismissed most of the claims in a lawsuit filed by a Black Texas high school student who alleged that school officials had violated his civil rights by insisting he cut his hair to fit school policy. Darryl George’s battle with Barbers Hill High School in Mont...

Judge rules against majority of claims in Black student's hair discrimination case

Polk County, FL

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Fort Meade, FL

Uncovering Florida

The Polk County Sheriff's Office has made an arrest after conducting an investigation into a case of credit card fraud involving 28-year-old Burger King employee, Kellyn Miley. The incident was discussed in detail during this morning's briefing with Sheriff Grady Judd.

Burger King Employee Caught Using Customer's Credit Card for Food at Former Job

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood warns of a "total breakdown of law and order" unless action is taken.

Thousands of prisoners to be released in September

North Carolina State

Pittsboro, NC

Town Talks

When it comes to dining out, the search for that perfect restaurant experience can be daunting. However, the food experts at LoveFood.com have taken some of the guesswork out by compiling a list of the most famous restaurants in every state.

The Most Famous North Carolina Restaurant Is Not Where You Think

Nebraska State

Omaha, NE

NBC News

A woman was arrested this week in the death of her 5-year-old foster son after he was found unresponsive in a hot car in Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha police said Juanita Pinon, 40, was charged with one count of child abuse by neglect, resulting in death, after the boy was discovered inside the vehicle just after 5 p.m. local time Wednesday.

Nebraska woman arrested after death of 5-year-old who was left alone in car for hours

West Virginia State

The Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review rulings that found the state’s refusal to cover certain health care for transgender people with government-sponsored insurance is discriminatory, Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said Thursday.  In April, the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 8-6 in the case involving coverage of gender-affirming surgery by West Virginia Medicaid, finding that the “coverage exclusions facially discriminate based on sex and gender identity,” according to a majority opinion penned by Judge Roger Gregory. The state of West Virginia had argued that officials in states with limited resources should have discretion to utilize those resources as they see fit to meet the needs of the population. West Virginia is one of the U.S. states with the most people living under the poverty line and the worst health outcomes.  “We’re not a rich state — we can’t afford to do everything,” Morrisey said Thursday during a live-streamed briefing with press. “And that’s one of the challenges that we have with this mandate. There’s only so much money to go around, and spending money on some treatments necessarily takes it away from others.”

West Virginia is asking the US Supreme Court to consider transgender surgery Medicaid coverage case

Four years after SARS-CoV2 sparked a devastating global pandemic, U.S. health officials now consider COVID-19 an endemic disease. "At this point, COVID-19 can be described as endemic throughout the world," Aron Hall, the deputy director for science at the CDC's coronavirus and other respiratory viruses division, told NPR in an interview.

Is COVID endemic yet? Yep, says the CDC. Here's what that means

Starr County, TX

InsideEdition

A Texas woman who was wrongly charged with murder after taking abortion pill can continue her lawsuit against local officials, a judge ruled. The woman went to jail for two days before charge was dropped, authorities said.

Woman Wrongly Charged With Murder After Taking Abortion Pill Can Continue Lawsuit Against Officials: Judge

Ohio State

The Lantern

On Tuesday, licensed Ohio dispensaries began legally selling non-medical marijuana to consumers; however, the drug’s possession, growth and/or usage are still prohibited on Ohio State’s campus. Credit: Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times/TNS [Original caption: Four citizen-led petitions with proposals to update Dallas’ charter hit the 20,000 valid signature threshold to make it on the Nov. 5 election ballot, including one that would ban police officers from arresting or citing people carrying less than four ounces of marijuana.] As of Tuesday, students 21 and older can now legally purchase marijuana in Ohio.

Dispensary sales of recreational marijuana began Tuesday; possession and usage still prohibited on Ohio State’s campus

Georgia State

Douglas, GA

Daily Coffee Press

Last week, a 32-year-old was arrested on trafficking charges after allegedly fleeing from a traffic stop and abandoning the vehicle with a child in the passenger seat. The chase resulted in the discovery of 230 grams of methamphetamine, which the suspect allegedly threw out while fleeing on foot. According to local detectives, the vehicle the suspect was driving was registered to NFL football player Tyreek Hill.

Man Driving Vehicle Registered to Tyreek Hill Arrested on Drug Trafficking Charges in Douglas

Colorado State

David Heitz

A bill quietly introduced this spring in the Colorado legislature to decriminalize the possession of drug paraphernalia obtained by harm reductionists has become law. As low-key as the legislation was introduced, the bill was signed into law without fanfare June 6. It garnered little to no media attention.

Colorado legalizes needles, pipes for meth and crack if obtained by harm reduction group

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska law that combined abortion restrictions with another measure to limit gender-affirming health care for minors does not violate a state constitutional amendment requiring bills to stick to a single subject, a majority of the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday. The state’s high court...

Nebraska Supreme Court upholds law restricting both medical care for transgender youth and abortion

RALEIGH, N.C. (CN) — A federal judge in North Carolina ruled that abortions performed after 12 weeks must be conducted in hospitals, while also striking down a documentation requirement on physicians in a final judgment issued Monday. Pregnant women seeking abortions before the 12-week mark will still be able...

North Carolina judge strikes down abortion restriction, upholds 12-week ban on medication abortion

South Carolina State

Colleton County, SC

Explore Beaufort SC

Some beachgoers were in for a surprise this week when a bizarre looking prehistoric fish washed ashore in Colleton County along Edisto Beach at Edisto Beach State Park. It turned out to be an atlantic sturgeon.

Rare Atlantic sturgeon washes ashore on South Carolina beach

Boston, MA

Homicide rates are falling in hundreds of U.S. cities. One of the most dramatic drops in the nation is in Boston. The city has recorded less than 10 murders so far this year, far fewer than major cities of similar size. Local police say part of the reason may be because of work that began decades ago. From member station WBUR, Deborah Becker reports.

Why Boston's homicide rate dropped to a historic low

PARIS — When runners take their places at the starting line of the men’s Olympic marathon on Saturday, among them will be two friends and training partners, who have logged thousands of miles together. As two of the three men representing team U.S.A., Conner Mantz and Clayton Young...

Spurred by faith and friendship, two buddies chase marathon medals in Paris

Florida State

With hurricane season posing a consistent threat six months out of the year, who would not like a little help getting their home ready for the harsh weather to come? Senate Bill 7028: My Safe Florida Home Program, approved by Governor DeSantis on April 24, 2024, and effective as of July 1, appropriates a one-time total of $200 million from 2024 to 2025 for the purpose of funding hurricane mitigation grants and inspections, as well as outreach and administration costs, to support homeowners in Florida.

DeSantis Signs New Bill Giving $200 Million To Homeowners

The Lens

This year’s area of low oxygen in the Gulf of Mexico is larger than average, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on Thursday. The “dead zone” is approximately 6,705 square miles , as measured last week. Within NOAA’s 38 years of measuring the dead zone, this year’s assessment marks the 12th-largest area of low to no oxygen, which can kill fish and marine life.

Gulf ‘dead zone’ larger than average, larger than expected for 2024, scientists announce

Winstonville, MS

Merigold, MS

Shelby, MS

Pace, MS

Cleveland, MS

Drew, MS

Duncan, MS

Gunnison, MS

Parchman, MS

Boyle, MS

Ruleville, MS

Rosedale, MS

Rome, MS

Beulah, MS

Alligator, MS

Rena Lara, MS

Tutwiler, MS

Shaw, MS

Snow Lake, AR

NewsBreak

Black hospitals vanished in the U.S. decades ago. Some communities have paid a price

MOUND BAYOU, Miss. — In the center of this historically Black city, once deemed “the jewel of the Delta” by President Theodore Roosevelt, dreams to revitalize...

Black hospitals vanished in the U.S. decades ago. Some communities have paid a price

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