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Biden aiming to scrub medical debt from people’s credit scores, which could up ratings for millions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

By JOSH BOAK (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that the Biden administration is taking the first steps toward removing medical bills from people’s credit scores, which could improve ratings for millions of people.Harris said that would make it easier for them to obtain an auto loan or a home mortgage. Roughly one in five people report having medical debt. The vice president said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is beginning the rulemaking process to make the change.The agency said in a statement that including medical debt in credit scores is problematic because “mistakes and inaccuracies in medical billing are common.”“Access to health care should be a right and not a privilege,” Harris told reporters in call to preview the action. “These measures will improve the credit scores of millions of Americans so that they will better be able to invest in their future.”The announcement come...

Patriots-Jets injury report: Pats defensive starter returns Thursday, O-lineman downgraded

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux was removed from the team’s injury report Thursday, when offensive lineman Sidy Sow was downgraded due to a concussion.Godchaux missed Wednesday’s practice for non-injury related reasons. He’s started both games this season and 35 of 36 regular-season games since joining the Patriots in 2021. Sow suffered his concussion sometime around the Pats’ season opener against the Eagles on Sept. 10.The Patriots made no other changes from their original injury report Wednesday. In New York, safety Tony Adams and offensive tackle Duane Brown missed a second straight practice Thursday.Both teams’ complete injury reports are below.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots aren’t showing signs of panic after 0-2 start to 2023 season New England Patriots | Mystery Patriots revealed: Two cornerbacks added to provide depth New England Patriots | Patriots offensive line takes a hit ...

Methuen man drowns while trying to save child at Salisbury Beach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

A Methuen man drowned while attempting to save a child at Salisbury Beach.The Essex District Attorney’s office says Gary Simard, 44, of Methuen, was enjoying the beach Wednesday with family when one of the children was pulled from the shoreline and couldn’t swim back in. Simard rushed into the water with two unidentified bystanders.While the bystanders were able to save the child, they lost Simard in the chaos. Salisbury Police responding to the beach found Simard in the water and tried to save his life. He was transported to Seabrook Emergency Room and pronounced dead.

Patriots aren’t showing signs of panic after 0-2 start to 2023 season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

FOXBORO — Patriots outside linebacker Matthew Judon is leaning into positivity despite his team’s 0-2 start.He said that’s why he delivered a statement before reporters could ask questions after Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins. It was an attempt to avoid some of the negative questions that come after a loss.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots-Jets injury report: Pats defensive starter returns Thursday, O-lineman downgraded New England Patriots | Mystery Patriots revealed: Two cornerbacks added to provide depth New England Patriots | Patriots offensive line takes a hit at Thursday practice before Jets game New England Patriots | Patriots have ideas on how to fix ineffective running game New England Patriots | Patriots: 6 reasons to still be optimistic about 2023 season He also said Week 3 is too early for the team to hold a players-only meeting.“No, I think we all know where we’re at,” Judon sai...

Bus carrying high school students to band camp crashes, killing 1 person and hurting dozens

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

WAWAYANDA, N.Y. (AP) — A charter bus carrying high school students to a band camp hurtled off a New York highway and down an embankment Thursday, killing one person and hurting dozens of others, officials said.The wreck happened in the early afternoon on Interstate 84 in the town of Wawayanda, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of New York City, state police said. Forty-three people were taken to hospitals, county fire officials said on social media.At least five people were badly hurt, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus told WNBC-TV.News footage showed ripped-up grass on the embankment and the bus lying on its left side with its roof warped. A ladder allowed rescuers to reach the windows. The bus was one of six in a caravan carrying students from Farmingdale High School on Long Island to a band camp in Greeley, in northeastern Pennsylvania, according to a message from the school district.Students on the other buses were to stop off at a community college for a break ...

‘Euphoria’ star Angus Cloud accidentally overdosed on meth, cocaine, fentanyl, coroner says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Actor Angus Cloud died in July of an accidental overdose of cocaine, fentanyl and other substances, a Northern California coroner’s office said Thursday. Cloud’s cause of death was “acute intoxication” due to the “combined effects of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and benzodiazepines,” the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau said. The office confirmed the overdose was an accident. The actor was declared dead at his parents’ home July 31 in Oakland. He was 25. Cloud starred as the drug dealer Fezco “Fez” O’Neill on the HBO series “Euphoria.”In a statement at the time, his family said Cloud had been struggling with the death of his father. “The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and shou...

Mosquitoes at Los Peñasquitos Lagoon test positive for West Nile virus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- West Nile virus was recently detected from a batch of mosquitoes in the San Diego area, marking the first sign of the disease from the insect this year, county officials said.The batch of mosquitoes tested positive for the virus after being collected from the north end of Los Peñasquitos Lagoon, located next to Del Mar and parts of San Diego, the County of San Diego said on its website Wednesday. Although no human West Nile virus cases have been reported, county officials are urging people to protect themselves from mosquitoes. This includes finding and dumping out standing water around homes to keep mosquitoes from breeding, wearing long sleeves and pants and using insect repellent when outdoors. California campsite reservation bill heads to governor’s desk "Dump out or remove any item inside or outside of homes that can hold water, such as plant saucers, rain gutters, buckets, garbage cans, toys, old tires, and wheelbarrows," Shauni Lyles with the County of San Die...

How will El Niño affect winter? New long-range outlook released

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – As it looks increasingly likely a strong El Niño will stick with us through winter, we're getting a peek at how the climate phenomenon might impact the weather this holiday season. The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center released a new long-range weather outlook Thursday, previewing what the next three months of weather might look like. The forecast includes the early part of winter — but the outlook doesn't look very wintery just yet. 70% chance of ‘strong’ El Niño: How long will it last? Instead, a record-breaking hot summer has stretched into a warm fall for many. That trend appears set to continue for much of the country. The Pacific Northwest and Northeast are most likely to have above-average temperatures through December. The West Coast, Southwest, Gulf, East Coast and Great Lakes are all also leaning toward a warmer-than-average late fall and early winter. In states where the temperatures do drop, it doesn't look likely they'll be accompanied ...

World’s largest women's surf event returns to Oceanside this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- The Nissan Super Girl Pro is returning to the iconic Oceanside Pier this weekend, marking the event's 17th year.From Friday, Sept. 22 to Sunday, Sept. 24, this North County beach town will play host to the women's largest surfing competition in the world, with 140 world-class professional surfers expected to take on the ocean throughout the weekend. Some big names at the event include former Super Girl Champions Sage Erickson and Courtney Conlogue, US Open Champion Sawyer Lindblad, and Oceanside's very own Caitlin Simmers. Oktoberfest San Diego: Celebrate Bavarian culture at these events Super Girl Pro ambassador Lindsey Jacobelli, an Olympic Gold Medalist and six times World Champion in snowboarding, joined FOX 5 in-studio Wednesday to discuss the annual event."It's always inspiring to see these women out there just pushing the level every year. I love the empowerment that I feel, and it's just amazing that you can see all of these young girls being able to i...

Kari Lake’s 3rd trial begins after unsuccessful lawsuit challenging her loss in governor’s race

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:21:57 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Kari Lake, the Republican who unsuccessfully challenged her defeat in the 2022 Arizona governor’s race, went to another trial Thursday in a separate lawsuit, this time asking to review ballot envelopes signed by approximately 1.3 million early voters in the state’s most populous county.The former TV anchor has already lost two trials that challenged her loss to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs by more than 17,000 votes. In the second trial, a judge rejected a misconduct claim Lake made about ballot signature-verification efforts in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and where more than 60% of the state’s voters live.Lake’s latest case doesn’t challenge her defeat but instead is a public records lawsuit that asks to review all early ballot envelopes with voter signatures in Maricopa County, where officials had denied her request for those documents.Most of the morning’s proceedings were spent hearing testimony from Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer. His offi...