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Congenital syphilis rates are soaring, but resources to stem infections are lacking

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

Nada Hassanein | (TNS) Stateline.orgStates are seeing an alarming surge in cases of congenital syphilis, a preventable infection that can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn death — or lifelong complications such as blindness or deafness.Congenital syphilis, which occurs when a pregnant mother infected with the sexually transmitted infection syphilis passes it on to her fetus, disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous babies. It has seen a steady rise over the past decade, and during the pandemic between 2020 and 2021, cases rose 32%, from 2,157 to 2,855, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.That’s about eight times the 358 babies born with the infection in 2011.Across the nation, the congenital syphilis rate was highest in states in the South and Southwest. In 2021, Arizona had the highest rate, at about 232 cases per 100,000 births, followed by New Mexico (205), Louisiana (191), Mississippi (182) and Texas (182).Nationwide in 2021, 102 bab...

Foxes in Massachusetts caught and injured in illegal animal traps, Arlington Police are investigating

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

Police are trying to find out who has been setting illegal animal traps, which recently caught and injured foxes in the Boston-area.The Arlington Police Department and Massachusetts Environmental Police are investigating multiple reports of illegal animal traps. The use of leg hold traps has been banned in Massachusetts since 1975.The first incident was reported in the middle of September when Arlington Police learned that a fox had one of its front legs caught in a leg hold trap in the area of Avola and Udine streets.Police contacted MassWildlife and state Environmental Police, while the local department launched an investigation to locate the injured animal and to identify those responsible for setting the trap.Then days later, Arlington Police received a second report about the same injured fox. Arlington Police have since received no new information about this animal.Then last weekend, Arlington officers were called to the area of Hibbert Street for a report of a different fox w...

Will mortgage rates change in October? Experts weigh in

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

By Holden Lewis | NerdWalletOctober mortgage rates forecastDie-hard home buyers, driven by life circumstances, will press forward in October. Everyone else will be inclined to wait for mortgage rates to fall, making homes more affordable. They’ll have to bide their time for months, not for weeks. In September, mortgage rates reached their highest levels since 2000, and they could inch upward in October.Intrepid home shoppers might discover that more sellers are reducing their asking prices, but most would-be buyers will struggle to find suitable places to make offers on.Rates rose after the Fed meetingThe Federal Reserve’s monetary policy committee met Sept. 19 and 20. Its updated summary of economic projections included Fed members’ forecasts about the direction of short-term interest rates for the next three-plus years. Mortgage rates didn’t move much in the three weeks before the Fed meeting as the market waited for the summary of economic projections to d...

Injury-ravaged Patriots get good news at Wednesday practice before Saints game

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

FOXBORO — After losing top defenders Matt Judon and Christian Gonzalez to injury last weekend, the Patriots were due for some good news.They got it Wednesday.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | What Patriots can expect from J.C. Jackson after trade with Chargers New England Patriots | Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez likely to miss 2023 season with shoulder injury New England Patriots | Source: Patriots reacquire CB JC Jackson via trade from Chargers New England Patriots | Source: Patriots signing veteran defensive tackle after successful workout New England Patriots | Patriots OLB Matt Judon facing season-threatening timeline with torn bicep Offensive tackle Riley Reiff, defensive lineman Trey Flowers and safety Cody Davis were present for their first practice of the season. All three players missed the first four games of the season on injured reserve (Reiff) or the Physically Unable to Perform ...

The Chicago Bears are in a tailspin with no end in sight. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts on the soul-crushing Week 4 loss.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

The Chicago Bears are in the muck right now and they’ve been there a mighty long time, so it stands to reason they lost a game in soul-crushing fashion after three noncompetitive affairs.10 thoughts after the Bears led 28-7 with a little more than 15 minutes to play and managed to lose to the Denver Broncos 31-28 on Sunday at Soldier Field, falling to 0-4 and extending the club-record losing streak to 14 games.1. There is a ton to unpack here.The Bears blew a 21-point lead for only the third time in franchise history and the first since the initial meeting with Tom Brady, a 33-30 loss to the New England Patriots on Nov. 10, 2002, at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.Justin Fields had far and away the best game of his pro career throwing the football (28 of 35 for 335 yards and four touchdowns), even if it came against a defense that was torched for 70 points in Miami the previous week. Yes, there were receivers running wide open at times and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Jo...

3 things we learned from the Chicago Bears, including Teven Jenkins being designated to return from IR

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus and players Cole Kmet and Tremaine Edmunds addressed reporters Monday at Halas Hall as they recovered from a 31-28 loss to the Denver Broncos.As the Bears look ahead to their Thursday night road game against the Washington Commanders, here are three things we learned.1. The Bears designated left guard Teven Jenkins to return from injured reserve.Jenkins has been on IR since Aug. 31 after suffering a calf injury during the Bears’ trip to Indianapolis for joint practices. For the first four games, the Bears moved Cody Whitehair from center to left guard and put Lucas Patrick at center.Jenkins can return to practice this week, and the Bears have 21 days to put him back on the active roster. Because of the short game week, the Bears have only one practice Wednesday. They were holding walk-throughs Monday and Tuesday.Whenever Jenkins returns, his health will be a major storyline. He has played in only 19 games, with 13 starts, since his rookie sea...

Gov. Healey signs $1 billion tax relief package, reworking tax rebate law, cuts short-term capital gains tax

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

Gov. Maura Healey signed a $1 billion-a-year tax relief bill Wednesday that Democrats on Beacon Hill have heralded as a way to make Massachusetts more competitive and help residents deal with high costs of living.“Tac cuts are officially here in Massachusetts,” Healey said after signing the bill.Healey’s signature caps off nearly two years of debate that started when former Gov. Charlie Baker filed his own proposal at the start of 2022. But lawmakers scrapped tax relief plans months later when the state had to send back $3 billion in tax refunds to residents.Healey filed her own bill earlier this year, kicking off the tax relief debate again, with House and Senate lawmakers passing versions in April and June, respectively. A panel of six lawmakers retreated into closed-door deliberations shortly after Senate passage, where the bill sat for months.Negotiators reached a deal two weeks ago that cuts the short-term capital gains tax from 12% to 8.5%, a business-backed move t...

Column: On a career day for QB Justin Fields, the Chicago Bears seemed to be on the verge of an important breakthrough. Until they weren’t.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

Inside a downcast home locker room at Soldier Field, Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields lay down inside his stall, full uniform still on and the wheels in his brain spinning in all directions. Fields couldn’t really comprehend how such a fun and positive afternoon had turned so dreadful, how his most productive outing as an NFL quarterback had been punctuated by two late turnovers, how a 21-point Bears lead had unraveled and somehow become a gutting three-point home loss.How on earth did Sunday’s game go into the books as a 31-28 Denver Broncos victory?“Yeah,” Fields said. “It hurt. Just the lead that we had. And we weren’t able to finish it off. I wasn’t able to finish it off.“Of course, it hurt. It’s almost like … Ah. I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s just … Yeah. The emotions are going everywhere.”Somehow it made all the sense in the world.It’s almost like … ...

Kaiser workers go on strike: 5 things to know

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

Tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers across the country stopped work early Wednesday morning after declaring their employer’s contract offers inadequate, starting what has been billed as the largest health care strike in United States history.Some 75,000 Kaiser workers went on strike after their contract expired Sept. 30, and unions and the company failed to resolve disputes over wages and other issues.Here are five things to know:1. Kaiser facilities will remain open Kaiser, which operates hospitals in eight states and Washington D.C., said it would keep all hospitals and emergency departments open, but there may be longer wait times. “Our facilities will continue to be staffed by our physicians, trained and experienced managers, and staff,” Kaiser said this week, adding that it may bring on “professionals contracted to serve in critical care roles specifically for the duration of a strike.” Patients can check the status of outpatient facilities on Kaiser’s website, kp.or...

Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears offense found ‘more of an identity’ on an encouraging day. Now they need to build on it.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:00 GMT

It didn’t take long for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields to find his first completion Sunday against the Denver Broncos. First snap, out of a diamond formation. Play action, tight end to the flat. Easy pitch and catch. Nine-yard gain to Robert Tonyan.That’s how the Bears always want to start. Straightforward concept. Crisp execution. Positive momentum. Stack the completions from there.Two in a row for Fields. Three in a row. Four.Five in a row, six.Fields’ seventh consecutive completion came on the first play of the second quarter, a deep shot to his favorite receiver. Against a single-high safety look, DJ Moore gained outside leverage against cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian down the right sideline. And when Fields’ pass dropped toward Soldier Field’s north end zone, Moore made a highlight-reel grab, somehow managing to get both feet down inbounds.Touchdown.Ideal. Keep that flowing. Stay in the rhythm.Eight completions in a row. Then nin...