Juul to settle multi-state youth vaping investigation for $438 million
E-cigarette company Juul on Tuesday tentatively agreed to pay $438.5 million to settle an investigation by 34 states and territories into the company's marketing and sales practices that were alleged to fuel the youth vaping crisis. The investigation found the company deliberately engaged in an advertising campaign that appealed to youth with launch parties, advertisements using young and trendy-looking models, social media posts and free samples. According to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong (D), who was one of the leaders of the investigation and negotia
Read MoreSen. Rosen tests positive for COVID-19, will work remotely this week
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) announced she tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and will work remotely this week as the Senate returns from its recess. Rosen said in a release she is experiencing mild symptoms, having been fully vaccinated and boosted to protect herself against severe illness. She said she will isolate and work remotely in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rosen’s absence from the Capitol means a second lawmaker will not be present for any votes this week. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.)
Read MorePreserving quality, trusted journalism in communities is essential to our democracy
This month, our nation commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution that took place more than 200 years ago. Today’s media landscape is much more complex, yet our forefathers’ fundamental embrace of the free speech principles enshrined in the First Amendment has been an enduring constant. Founding Father Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” The role of America’s local television and radio stations in a nation that promises freedom of the press is the duty to discover the truth and to
Read MoreSeattle teachers union authorizes strike, potentially delaying school year start
Unionized educators at Seattle Public Schools (SPS) on Tuesday voted to authorize a strike, which threatens to delay the start of the school year on Wednesday if a contract agreement is not reached. The Seattle Education Association (SEA) announced on Tuesday afternoon that 95 percent of voters authorized the strike, with three-quarters of its roughly 6,000 members participating. Union leaders said they are continuing to bargain with the school district throughout the day, but they may begin picketing on Wednesday morning if no agreement is reached. The union i
Read MoreClimate change overwhelming California power grid
A record heat wave is pushing California's electric grid up against the point of failure this week, with officials pointing to climate change for putting continued stress on the system. The state issued an emergency alert for a seventh consecutive day on Tuesday, urging customers to conserve energy between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. "We have now entered the most intense phase of this heat wave," Elliot Mainzer, chief executive officer of California’s principal electric grid, California ISO, said in a briefing on Monday. As temperatures in the state capital of Sacrament
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