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Millions in opioid settlement funds sit untouched as overdose deaths rise

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

Watch Video: How lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, sellers are making an impactNearly a year after Montana began receiving millions of dollars to invest in efforts to combat the opioid crisis, much of that money remains untouched. Meanwhile, the state’s opioid overdose and death counts continue to rise.The money is part of the approximately $50 billion that states and local governments will receive nationwide in opioid settlement funds over nearly two decades. The payments come from more than a dozen companies that made, distributed, or sold prescription opioid painkillers that were sued for their role in fueling the overdose epidemic.Many places have begun deciding where that money will go and making payments to schools, public health departments, and local governments. South Carolina, for example, has awarded more than $7 million to 21 grantees. Wisconsin has posted two years’ worth of spending plans that total nearly $40 million.Montana, West Virginia, and Hawai...

Former Duke QB Leonard transfers to Notre Dame; Ex-Purdue WR Burks goes to Oklahoma

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

Notre Dame is going from one talented ACC quarterback to another after Duke’s Riley Leonard committed to the Fighting Irish on Tuesday.Leonard, who helped the Blue Devils start the season with a stunning 28-7 victory over then-No. 9 Clemson, entered the transfer portal after his team’s 7-5 season.He announced his intention to play for Notre Dame on social media, writing “A dream come true. Go Irish,” with a shamrock image at the end.Riley is expected to take over the starting job that ex-Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman had for the Fighting Irish this season. Hartman joined Notre Dame this past season after five seasons with the Demon Deacons.Leonard played in 27 games for Duke the past three seasons, throwing for 4,450 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He played in just seven games this season after sustaining an injury late in a 21-14 loss to Notre Dame on Sept. 30.Purdue receiver Deion Burks said on social media he’s committed to Oklahoma. Burks post...

1 arrested after alleged assault in Commerce City

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Several police officers responded to a scene near the Reunion neighborhood in Commerce City where one person was allegedly taken into custody.FOX31's Jim Hooley was the first reporter at the scene and spoke to witnesses who were working near 96th Avenue and Tower Road when the incident happened around 10 a.m. on Tuesday.According to the witnesses, a Lexus came speeding by before coming to an abrupt stop. The workers told Hooley that a woman jumped out of the driver's side and a man jumped out of the passenger's side. That is when the man allegedly ran over to the driver's side, grabbed the woman and threw her to the ground. Over a dozen car windows smashed in Arvada neighborhood Witnesses claim the man took out what appeared to be a lighter and tried to light the woman on fire. Hooley said the woman was taken by Commerce City police, but her condition is unknown at this time. The man was taken into custody. FOX31 has reached out to Commerce City police to learn and...

Fight at Lakewood youth basketball game caught on camera

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A fight between three referees at a youth basketball game in Lakewood on Saturday was caught on camera.Video shot by Brock Hardwick and shared with FOX31 showed the altercation between the three referees: Two officials were seen bumping into each other, at which point one of them is seen punching the other. Then, a third official came and tackled the referee who was punched to the ground.Bystanders, including a fourth referee not part of the fight, tried to get the men away from each other. These Colorado highways are some of the most hated roads in America FOX31 reached out to the organization in charge of the game, the Gold Crown Foundation, and was told that the three officials involved, who are independent contractors, were immediately removed and were no longer permitted to work for the company.Gold Crown's Director of Sports, Jeff Petty, said he was "very sorry to everyone that had to witness that disgusting behavior -- especially kids.""Please know our stan...

Coast Guard offloads over $12 million worth of cocaine in Miami Beach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

The crew of the US Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell offloaded over 950 pounds of cocaine, valued at more than $12 million, at Base Miami Beach, Monday. https://twitter.com/USCGSoutheast/status/1734652656063529195?s=20The operation also resulted in the apprehension of six suspected smugglers, all of whom will face federal prosecution by the Department of Justice.

Orbán aide: Hungary could lift Ukraine funds veto if EU unblocks all frozen cash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

Hungary has issued its ransom demand to Brussels. Budapest is ready to retract its veto on a new package of EU aid to Ukraine if Brussels agrees to unblock all the funds that have been frozen by the bloc over concerns about the rule of law in the country, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s political director said. European leaders are set to make historic decisions at a summit later this week on opening accession talks with Ukraine and delivering a €50 billion, four-year aid package which Kyiv crucially needs to support its flailing war economy against Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s aggression — but first, they need to overcome Hungary’s objections on both topics. “Hungary’s EU funding and Ukraine’s financing are two separate issues,” Balazs Orbán told Bloomberg in an interview published late Tuesday.“But if the EU insists that Ukraine’s financing should come from an amended EU budget, then the two issues become linked,” added the adviser, who is not related to ...

Services announced for National Grid worker killed in Waltham worksite crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

Services are set for the National Grid technician who police say was killed in last week’s deadly series of crashes in Waltham. The family of Roderick Jackson on Monday night announced they will hold visitation hours on Saturday morning beginning at 9 a.m. at the St. Paul AME church in Cambridge. Jackson’s funeral will follow at 11 a.m.Jackson died last Wednesday afternoon when, according to police, a New Hampshire man crashed his pickup truck into the worksite on Totten Pond Road where Jackson was working. At least two other National Grid workers were injured and a Waltham police officer was killed, according to police. Police said the alleged driver, identified as Peter Simon, 54, fled the scene before stealing a police cruiser at knifepoint, leading police on a chase and later crashing the cruiser. Simon was arrested Wednesday night and arraigned on charges including manslaughter on Thursday. Tributes continued, in the meantime, as community members mourned the loss of ...

Weather On Cruise Control

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

After an active Monday, we’re now on cruise control for the next several days with quiet weather taking us through the week and even through the upcoming weekend! Temperatures tonight will be similar to last night with most of us falling just below the freezing mark. The only difference is last night the wind shut off so it was a nice morning for a walk this morning. Tonight we’ll hold the breeze so there will be more of a brisk feel tomorrow morning.Temperatures will be about two degrees colder than today, but with the breeze it will feel colder, keeping wind chills in the 30s for Wednesday.We’ll also have a few more clouds in the mix tomorrow (not cloudy, just more clouds than today), but we’re back to the sunshine for Thursday and Friday!Temperatures take a bit of a tumble on Thursday. It’s not frigid air… it is December after all, but even for December standards it will be on the cooler side. Thankfully there won’t be much for wind. The ...

Diverted Delta passengers spend the night in remote military barracks in Canada

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

(CNN) — Hundreds of airline passengers bound for Detroit spent Sunday night in a remote Canadian military barracks after their Delta Air Lines jet experienced mechanical issues, the airline said.Delta Flight 135, carrying 270 customers, three pilots and seven flight attendants from Amsterdam to the US, made the unexpected overnight detour to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador “out of an abundance of caution,” Delta said in a statement.The Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot of the Airbus 330 “reported problems with deicing equipment and diverted to Happy Valley-Goose Bay Airport in Canada around 3:15 p.m. local time.” The FAA said it will investigate.“Crew duty times were impacted due to weather and runway conditions at the Goose Bay airport causing the airport to suspend operations,” Delta said, and the passengers stayed overnight Sunday in military barracks in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, a community of about 8,000 residents in ...

Rifts between Biden and Netanyahu spill into public view

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:27:10 GMT

Washington (CNN) — Rifts between the United States and Israel spilled into public view Tuesday as President Joe Biden warned that Israel was losing international support for its campaign against Hamas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected American plans for post-war Gaza.The divides, which until now had mostly been contained behind the scenes, reflected growing differences between the two staunch allies as the civilian death toll in Gaza mounts.Speaking to Democratic donors in Washington, Biden voiced criticism of Israel’s hardline government and said Netanyahu needed to alter his approach.“I think he has to change, and with this government, this government in Israel is making it very difficult for him to move,” Biden said, calling Netanyahu’s government the “most conservative government in Israel’s history.”He warned support for the country’s military campaign is waning amid heavy bombardment of Gaza and added that the Israeli government “doesn’t want a two-s...