
With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fightTexas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a woman near Dallas, launching one of the first challenges in the US to shield laws that Democrat-controlled states passed to protect physicians after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit on Thursday in Collin County, and it was announced Friday. Such prescriptions, made online and over the phone, are a key reason that the number of abortions has increased across the US even since state bans started taking effect. Most abortions in the US involve pills rather than procedures. Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis, School of Law, said a challenge to shield laws, which blue states started adopting in 2023, has been anticipated. And it could have a chilling effect on prescriptions. “Will doctors be more afraid to mail pills into Texas, even if they might be protected by shield laws because they don’t know if they’re protected by shield laws?” she said in an interview Friday. The lawsuit accuses New York Dr. Margaret Daley Carpenter of violating Texas law by providing the drugs to a Texas patient and seeks up to $250,000. No criminal charges are involved. Texas bars abortion at all stages of pregnancy and has been one of the most aggressive states at pushing back against abortion rights. It began enforcing a state law in 2021 — even before the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and opened the door to state bans — that barred nearly all abortions by allowing citizens to sue anyone who provides an abortion or assists someone in obtaining one. Paxton said that the 20-year-old woman who received the pills — mifepristone and misoprostol, which are typically used in medication abortions — ended up in a hospital with complications. It was only after that, the state said in its filing, that the man described as “the biological father of the unborn child” learned of the pregnancy and the abortion. “In Texas, we treasure the health and lives of mothers and babies, and this is why out-of-state doctors may not illegally and dangerously prescribe abortion-inducing drugs to Texas residents,” Paxton said in a statement. A phone message left for Carpenter was not immediately returned, nor was an email to the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, where she’s co-medical director and founder. Anti-abortion advocates, who legally challenged the Biden administration’s prescribing rules around mifepristone, have been readying provocative and unusual ways to further limit abortion pill access when President-elect Donald Trump takes office next year. They feel emboldened to challenge the pills’ use and seek ways to restrict it under a conservative US Supreme Court buttressed by a Republican-controlled Congress and White House. Earlier this year, the US Supreme Court ruled that a group of anti-abortion doctors and their organizations lacked the legal standing to sue to try to have the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone rescinded. But since then, the Republican state attorneys general from Idaho, Kansas and Missouri have sought to have some of the rules around the pills tightened — including to bar telemedicine prescriptions. Also this year, Louisiana became the first state to reclassify the drugs as “controlled dangerous substances.” They can still be prescribed, but there are extra steps required to access them. Lawmakers in at least three states have introduced bills for next year aimed at barring or restricting use of the pills. “I began to think about how we might be able to both provide an additional deterrent to companies violating the criminal law and provide a remedy for the family of the unborn children,” said Tennessee state Rep. Gino Bulso, who is sponsoring the legislation there that includes a provision barring use of the medications for abortion.Democrat Bob Casey concedes to Republican David McCormick in Pennsylvania Senate contest
The Vegas Golden Knights will be doing their fair share of welcoming back players to T-Mobile Arena this season. But the San Jose Sharks are preparing to do the same for forward Tomáš Hertl . Hertl will play his first game in SAP Center as an opposing team member when the Golden Knights face the Sharks on Friday at 7:30 p.m. “I’m excited for it. I can’t really tell you the feelings right now,” Hertl said. “It’ll be weird when I am on the other side and on the visiting team because I played 11 years [there.] We have some great rounds. I definitely want to thank the fans because I played there for a long time.” Hertl spent 11 seasons with the Sharks, who drafted the Czech at age 20. He was a long-time franchise cornerstone, helping lead them to five playoff appearances and one Stanley Cup final. Hertl scored 218 goals with 266 assists in 712 career games with the Sharks. He was traded to Vegas along with a 2025 and 2027 third-round pick on March 8 for a 2025 first-round pick, David Edstrom (Vegas’s first-round pick in 2023). The Sharks also retained 17 percent of Hertl’s salary. Hertl has worked towards getting into a groove since arriving in Vegas. His linemates have been shuffled around throughout his time as a Golden Knight. Despite this, he has 12 goals and 16 assists in 40 career games with Vegas. Despite the memories and inevitable “Welcome Back” video from the Sharks, Hertl understands the goal: help the Golden Knights win their first straight and ninth game in 10. “I want to still take the two points from there and have a good time,” Hertl said. “At the same time, I can’t wait to get over with it because I don’t really know what to expect from it. Honestly, I have never been in this situation in my life.” Paul Delos Santos is the Las Vegas sports insider for Dice City Sports. Follow him on X at @PaulDelos_ . This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.
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are supposed to be a time of celebration and festivities, it can also take its toll on those who struggle with mental illness. Did you know that that the holidays make their conditions worse? While it’s a time filled with gatherings, the holidays can leave folks feeling isolated and hopeless due to various reasons, including financial strain and increased social pressure. This holiday season, the (BCSS) is launching a and calling upon folks to donate to help continue BCSS’s mission of providing support and being a beacon of hope for caregivers and families of those with severe and persistent mental illnesses like schizophrenia. BCSS serves families across the province, from the Okanagan to the Kootenays and beyond. To launch this campaign, BCSS has created a video featuring BCSS’ CEO, Faydra Aldridge and Chris Sandy, former BCSS Foundation Board Director and longtime donor. Those who wish to help advance BCSS’ mission to support programs and services for families and caregivers of those with severe and persistent mental illnesses or through the , which is focused on improving the quality of life of individuals living with schizophrenia and their family members through research. “Mental illnesses like schizophrenia can touch anyone and it is difficult to know where to turn when navigating this challenging road. Folks living with mental illnesses matter. Families matter. The work that the BC Schizophrenia Society and the BC Schizophrenia Society Foundation drive saves lives. I will match any donations made from now until December 31, up to a total of $10,000. Together, let’s give the gift of compassion, hope, and support. Your donations can be life saving,” said Chris Sandy, Former BCSS Foundation Board Director.Yolo County announced its participation as the first pilot jurisdiction in the Bridge initiative, a new program launched by the Institute for Local Government. This initiative aims to strengthen California’s local government workforce by creating Registered Apprenticeship Programs in nontraditional fields, including human resources, accounting, information technology, health and human services and more. “I’m thrilled that Yolo County will serve as an inaugural participant in ILG’s Bridge Public Sector Registered Apprenticeship program,” said Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chair Lucas Frerichs. “Apprenticeships have a long history of success in the construction trades, and I’m excited to bring this innovative model to support our broader local government workforce in Yolo County.” Like many local governments across the state, Yolo County is facing significant workforce challenges, with recruitment and retention issues affecting nearly 70% of California’s cities, counties, and special districts. These challenges can lead to vacancies in essential roles, potentially disrupting services such as social services, permitting, and more. The Bridge initiative is designed to address this issue by providing innovative, community-based solutions to hire for high-demand, difficult-to-fill positions, while expanding career opportunities for underserved and underrepresented populations. As the first confirmed pilot jurisdiction for the Bridge initiative, Yolo County will help test and implement non-traditional RAPs over the next year. The program will focus on training and hiring individuals for a wide range of roles in local government, including positions in IT, human resources, and health services. ILG will provide crucial support to Yolo County, including capacity building, grant writing, marketing assistance, and technical guidance throughout the program’s development. Through this pilot, Yolo County will work closely with local education agencies, community-based organizations and other partners to ensure the successful implementation of apprenticeship programs that align with the county’s workforce needs. Yolo County’s participation in the Bridge initiative is a crucial step toward building a sustainable, skilled workforce capable of meeting the challenges of the future. As part of the pilot program, the county will lead the way in developing a scalable model for apprenticeships that can be adopted by other local governments across California. “Apprenticeships are a proven strategy to develop a resilient workforce while opening doors for underserved communities,” states Erica Manuel, CEO and Executive Director of the Institute for Local Government. “The Bridge initiative brings this model to the public sector, ensuring local governments have the talent they need to meet the challenges of tomorrow. With Yolo County leading the way, we’re building a blueprint for other jurisdictions across California to follow.” The Institute for Local Government is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports local governments with tackling their most pressing and evolving issues related to workforce development, climate action, leadership, ethics, and public engagement. Since 1955, ILG has provided conscious counsel, training, resources, and technical assistance to empower and educate local agency leaders and deliver real-world expertise to help them navigate complex issues, increase their capacity, and build trust in their communities. As the nonprofit affiliate of the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, and the California Special Districts Association, ILG proudly serves municipalities large and small, urban and rural throughout California. 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AI is a game changer for students with disabilities. Schools are still learning to harness itPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Honey, they shrunk the catalogs. While retailers hope to go big this holiday season , customers may notice that the printed gift guides arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were indeed scaled down to save on postage and paper, resulting in pint-sized editions. Lands’ End, Duluth Trading Company and Hammacher Schlemmer are among gift purveyors using smaller editions. Some retailers are saving even more money with postcards. Lisa Ayoob, a tech-savvy, online shopper in Portland, Maine, was surprised by the size of a recent catalog she received from outdoor apparel company Carbon2Cobalt. “It almost felt like it was a pamphlet compared to a catalog,” she said. Catalogs have undergone a steady recalibration over the years in response to technological changes and consumer behavior. The thick, heavy Sears and J.C. Penney catalogs that brought store displays to American living rooms slimmed down and gave way to targeted mailings once websites could do the same thing. Recent postal rate increases accelerated the latest shift to compact formats. The number of catalogs mailed each year dropped about 40% between 2006 to 2018, when an estimated 11.5 billion were mailed to homes, according to the trade group formerly known as the American Catalog Mailers Association. In a sign of the times, the group based in Washington rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association, reflecting a broadened focus. But don't expect catalogs to go the way of dinosaurs yet. Defying predictions of doom, they have managed to remain relevant in the e-commerce era. Retail companies found that could treat catalogs with fewer pages as a marketing tool and include QR and promo codes to entice customers to browse online and complete a purchase. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, catalogs are costly to produce and ship. But they hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs, helping retailers cut through the noise for consumers barraged by multi-format advertisements, industry officials say. In an unlikely twist, notable e-commerce companies like Amazon and home goods supplier Wayfair started distributing catalogs in recent years. Amazon began mailing a toy catalog in 2018. That was the same year Sears, which produced an annual Christmas Wish Book Wish starting in 1933, filed for bankruptc y. Fans of printed information may rejoice to hear that apparel retailer J.Crew relaunched its glossy catalog this year. Research shows that the hands-on experience of thumbing through a catalog leaves a greater impression on consumers, said Jonathan Zhang, a professor of marketing at Colorado State University. “The reason why these paper formats are so effective is that our human brains haven’t evolved as fast as technology and computers over the past 10 to 20 years. We retain more information when we read something on paper. That's why paper books remain relevant," Zhang said. “The psychology shows that three-dimensional, tactile experiences are more memorable.” Pint-sized presentations still can work, though, because the purpose of catalogs these days is simply to get customers’ attention, Zhang said. Conserving paper also works better with younger consumers who are worried about the holiday shopping season's impact on the planet, he said. Postal increases are hastening changes. The latest round of postage hikes in July included the category with the 8.5-by-11-inch size that used to be ubiquitous for the catalog industry. Many retailers responded by reducing the size of catalogs, putting them in a lower-cost letter category, said Paul Miller, executive vice president and managing director of the American Commerce Marketing Association. One size, called a “slim jim,” measures 10.5 by 5.5 inches. But there other sizes. Some retailers have further reduced costs by mailing large postcards to consumers. Lands' End, for one, is testing new compact formats to supplement its traditional catalogs. This year, that included folded glossy brochures and postcards, along with other formats, Chief Transformation Officer Angie Rieger said. Maine resident Ayoob said she understands why retailers still use catalogs even though she no longer is a fan of the format. These days, she prefers to browse for products on the internet, not by flipping through paper pages. “Everybody wants eyeballs. There’s so much out there -- so many websites, so many brands,” said Ayoob, who spent 35 years working in department stores and in the wholesale industry. Targeting customers at home is not a new concept. L.L. Bean was a pioneer of the mail-order catalog after its founder promoted his famous “Maine Hunting Shoe” to hunting license holders from out-of-state in 1912. The outdoor clothing and equipment company based in Freeport, Maine, is sticking to mailing out regular-sized catalogs for now. “By showcasing our icons, the catalog became an icon itself,” L.L. Bean spokesperson Amanda Hannah said. "Even as we invest more in our digital and brand marketing channels, the catalog retains a strong association with our brand, and is therefore an important part of our omni-channel strategy, especially for our loyal customers.”
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Googly eyes have been appearing on sculptures around the central Oregon city of Bend, delighting many residents and sparking a viral sensation covered widely by news outlets and featured on a popular late-night talk show. On social media, the city shared photos of googly eyes on installations in the middle of roundabouts that make up its so-called “Roundabout Art Route.” One photo shows googly eyes placed on a sculpture of two deer, while another shows them attached to a sphere. It’s not yet known who has been putting them on the sculptures. “While the googly eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them with care to not damage the art,” the city said in its posts. The Facebook post received hundreds of comments, with many users saying they liked the googly eyes. “My daughter and I went past the flaming chicken today and shared the biggest laugh,” one user said, using a nickname for the “Phoenix Rising” sculpture. “We love the googly eyes. This town is getting to be so stuffy. Let’s have fun!” Another Facebook user wrote: “I think the googly eyes on the deer specifically are a great look, and they should stay that way.” Others said the city should focus on addressing more important issues, such as homelessness, instead of spending time and money on removing the googly eyes. Over the years, the city’s sculptures have been adorned with other seasonal decorations, including Santa hats, wreaths, leis. The city doesn’t remove those, and views the googly eyes differently because of the adhesive, Bend’s communications director, Rene Mitchell, told The Associated Press. “We really encourage our community to engage with the art and have fun. We just need to make sure that we can protect it and that it doesn’t get damaged,” she said. The post and its comments were covered by news outlets, and even made it on a segment of CBS’s “The Late Show with .” The city regrets that its post was misunderstood, Mitchell said. “There was no intent to be heavy-handed, and we certainly understand maybe how that was taken,” she said. “We own this large collection of public art and really want to bring awareness to the community that applying adhesives does harm the art. So as stewards of the collection, we wanted to share that on social media.” The city has so far spent $1,500 on removing googly eyes from seven of the eight sculptures impacted, Mitchell said, and has started treating some of the art pieces, which are made of different types of metal such as bronze and steel. The “Phoenix Rising” sculpture might need to be repainted entirely, she said. For some, the googly eyes — like the other holiday objects — provide a welcome boost of seasonal cheer. “I look forward to seeing the creativity of whoever it is that decorates the roundabouts during the holidays,” one social media commenter said. “Brings a smile to everyone to see silliness.”President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Welcome to the Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter. HOT TOPIC – Transgender inclusion in women's sports continued to be a lightning rod in 2024, but it also became a focus in the U.S. presidential election. Continue reading ... EXPLORING OPTIONS – San Jose State University athletic officials acknowledged the number of volleyball players who elected to enter the transfer portal following the program's controversy-riddled season. Continue reading ... BEFUDDLED? – Former tennis player Martina Navratilova reacted to Olympic boxing gold medalist Imane Khelif receiving votes for the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year award. Continue reading ... Algeria's Imane Khelif, celebrates after defeating Hungary's Anna Hamori in their women's 66kg quarterfinal boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher) NFL POWER RANKINGS – The Chiefs clinched the AFC's top playoff seed. Lamar Jackson ran into the history book. Here's a look at the latest Power Rankings brought to you by Fox News Digital Sports. Continue reading ... BEST OF THE BEST – This year produced two back-to-back champions and a host of dominant playoff runs. Here's a look at the sports champions that were crowned in 2024. Continue reading ... STOLE THE SHOW – Beyoncé took center stage during the halftime of the Christmas Day game between the Texans and Ravens, but a gesture from the music superstar sparked some reaction on social media. Continue reading ... Beyoncé on a scaffold during halftime of an NFL football game between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) STAR-STUDDED CAST – Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce made a surprise appearance in the "Happy Gilmore" trailer. Continue reading ... FROM FOX SPORTS – FOX Sports' Joel Klatt takes a look back at the first round of the inaugural 12-team edition of the College Football Playoff. Continue reading ... FROM OUTKICK – Just weeks after leading his high school alma mater to a state championship, Teddy Bridgewater is returning to the NFL ranks. Continue reading ... WATCH NOW – Former Cincinnati Bengals star T.J. Houshmandzadeh reacts to Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons' bold claim that Joe Burrow is the top quarterback in the NFL. Watch here ... FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Instagram YouTube Twitter LinkedIn SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS Fox News First Fox News Opinion Fox News Lifestyle Fox News Autos Fox News Health DOWNLOAD OUR APPS Fox News Fox Business Fox Weather Fox Sports Tubi WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE Fox News Go OUTKICK COVERAGE OutKick Sign up for OutKick's daily newsletter STREAM FOX NATION Fox Nation This article was written by Fox News staff.
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