Fairmont, WV

Columbus, OH

Ohio State

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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

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

Florida State

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Akeena

Red Lobster, the popular seafood chain, has confirmed additional closures in Florida, adding to its recent wave of shutdowns following the company’s bankruptcy filing in May. The latest round of closures includes two more Florida locations, highlighting the ongoing struggles of the iconic restaurant chain.

Popular seafood chain announces more closures in Florida

South Carolina State

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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

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville Today

A historic marker could be erected to honor the victims of the racist mass shooting at the Dollar General store in Jacksonville’s New Town neighborhood nearly a year ago. If approved by the Jacksonville City Council, a marker would be installed at Kings Road and Canal Street on Aug. 25, a day before the first anniversary of the shooting, when a white gunman took the lives of three Black people.

Memorial considered to honor Dollar General victims

New Jersey State

Los Angeles, CA

Herbie J Pilato

It's been 40 years since actor Jon-Erik Hexum died of an accidental self-inflicted gun shot on October 18, 1984 in Los Angeles. He was only 26 years old, and this is his story.

In Memory of Actor Jon-Erik Hexum:  40 Years After His Accidental, Self-Inflicted Tragic Death

Denver, CO

In addition to collecting more than 8,000 used needles in the past year from Denver drug users, the Harm Reduction Action Center passed out 10,000 meth pipes and “snort kits,” according to a newsletter sent to its supporters Thursday. They also connected about 1,700 people to medical, mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Denver group hands out 10K meth pipes, ‘snort kits,’ connects 1,700 to treatment annually

Uncovering Florida

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

Los Angeles County, CA

In 1981, pop-music sensation Andy Gibb was at the top of the charts. The younger brother of Barry, Robin, and Maurice, a.k.a. The Bee Gees, commenced a tumultuous romance with actress Victoria Principle, who played Pam Ewing on Dallas, TV's then-Number 1 prime-time series. But after the relationship ended, Andy's life, already challenged by substance abuse, did as well. This is their tragic story.

The Tragic Death of Pop Star Andy Gibb & His Traumatic Romance with 'Dallas' Star Victoria Principle

Georgia State

Charlotte, NC

Daily Coffee Press

Here we (could) go again.. After making a second landfall in South Carolina, Debby weakened to a tropical storm and now located close to Charlotte, North Carolina. Despite the downgrade, the storm remains a threat, bringing heavy rainfall and tornado watches across North Carolina. Tragically, Debby has claimed six lives, including two in Georgia. Although Debby will soon lose its tropical characteristics, the risk of flooding and tornadoes persists as it moves into other states.

NHC Monitors Potential New Storm That Could Threaten Georgia

Migrants enrolled in the Denver Asylum Seekers Program won’t get cash benefits after all. The council amended a contract with Haven for Hope during the Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee meeting Wednesday. Instead of Haven of Hope providing migrants with cash assistance on debit cards, it will instead provide “culturally appropriate” food.

Denver revokes cash assistance for migrants

The Current GA

Since 2020, the condition known as long COVID-19 has become a widespread disability affecting the health and quality of life of millions of people across the globe and costing economies billions of dollars in reduced productivity of employees and an overall drop in the work force .

Expert: Long COVID puzzle pieces are falling into place – picture is unsettling

No, pallet shelters for people experiencing homelessness don’t fold into caskets. It’s a question a reader posed one of the first times I wrote about pallet shelters. I find the pallet shelters to be more palatable than ice fishing tents. The Colorado Village Collaborative operates both micro-communities and the so-called Safe Outdoor Spaces with the tents. We all learned the tents are not safe when a fire roared through a CVC Safe Outdoor Space, destroying the compound quickly. Officials never disclosed a cause of the fire.

Opinion: No, pallet shelters for homeless in Denver, Aurora don’t fold into caskets

Texas State

Massachusetts State

Dianna Carney

Sandy Paws Rescue Inc., a foster-based rescue organization in Massachusetts, has recently introduced a dog named Blazer who is looking for his forever home. According to the nonprofit rescue organization, Blazer has had quite a journey. “Blazer was one of 7 dogs ‘saved’ by another rescue down in Texas and when he was just a young puppy. Then, he was abandoned by this ‘rescue’ and left in a boarding kennel for 9 months. He is now a little over a year old, and 55lbs.” Thanks to Sandy Paws Rescue Inc. for stepping in to help Blazer, he is now on the path to finding a family to love him.

Meet The Sweet Dog Abandoned At Texas Kennel For Months Now Looking For Love In Massachusetts

More dangerous substances are entering the Denver drug supply, Harm Reduction Action Center warned in a newsletter this week. “The Iron Law of Prohibition posits that as law enforcement becomes more intense, the potency of prohibited substances increases,” HRAC Executive Director Lisa Raville wrote in the newsletter. That is exactly what is happening, she said.

Dangerous substances entering Denver drug supply

Montana State

Wyoming State

WyoFile

To increase the genetic diversity of an island population of grizzly bears , Wyoming and Montana wildlife managers recently worked together to import fresh bloodlines into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Two Montana grizzly bears trucked to Wyoming to bolster genetic diversity, help states’ delisting case

Lawrence Township, NJ

Morristown Minute

NEW JERSEY - In a significant ruling, the New Jersey Supreme Court has permanently removed Lewis J. Korngut from his position as a Municipal Court Judge. The decision, finalized on July 24, 2024, follows an extensive investigation by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct (ACJC) into numerous allegations of unethical behavior.

NJ Judge Permanently Removed for Unethical Conduct

The Denver City Council accepted Monday two grants totaling $24.5 million from the state of Colorado to pay for the homeless navigation campus it opened last year. One council member wants answers as to why wraparound services at the campus aren't up and running.

Denver homeless hotel wins $24.5 million grant, experiences wraparound services delay

Cheyenne, WY

WHITE MOUNTAIN—“That’s a lot of horses,” lamented Cheyenne resident Robyn Smith from a high-desert ridgeline. It wasn’t her first exasperated exclamation. “Argh, oh crap,” was her immediate reaction to learning a federal judge had given the Bureau of Land Management the OK to proceed with plans to fully remove two wild horse herds from the landscape in southwest Wyoming.

BLM wins two lawsuits, clearing way for elimination of two Wyoming wild horse herds

Most people are guilty of doing it at least once in their lives, many people do it by accident, some do it because they find it fun, and others do it for reasons like honoring loved ones. Regardless of the situation, just about everyone has released a balloon. The difference is that intentionally releasing balloons is now illegal by House Bill 321’s standards.

Law Signed By DeSantis Makes It Illegal To Release Balloons In Florida

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NewsBreak

Campus Carry Brings Changes To Stadium Security, Fan Experience

Senate Bill 10 – more commonly known as the Campus Carry Bill – has been implemented on all of the state’s higher education campuses since July....

Campus Carry Brings Changes To Stadium Security, Fan Experience

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