Which supermarkets belong to the 2 corporations?

Kroger has 28 subsidiaries with nearly 2,800 supermarketsincluding Harris Teeter, Dillon's, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, City Market, Owen's, JayC, Pay Less, Baker's Gerbes, Pick'n Save, Metro Market, Mariano's Fresh Market, QFC, Ralphs and Fred Meyer.

Albertsons owns and operates greater than 2,200 supermarkets through its many brands. These include Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Market and Balducci's.

Kroger and Albertsons also operate supermarkets under their very own names.

Had the merger occurred, it might have been the biggest of its kind in U.S. history and would have affected tens of millions of grocery shoppers.

To address regulators' concerns, the chains announced a previous to halting the deal in 2023 plan to sell a whole bunch of their supermarkets within the United States to C&S Wholesale Grocers. She I updated this plan in 2024 with a promise not to shut any stores.

Why did Kroger want to amass Albertsons?

The The corporations argued that they needed to hitch forces to compete with even larger online and big-box retailers. In recent years, Walmart and Costco have done this Gained market sharewhile other chains have remained stable or lost ground.

Companies also feared strong competition from dollar stores, considered one of the fastest growing segments of US retail.

The federal government rejected the merger with the US Federal Trade Commission lawsuit to dam it. Had the deal passed through, the brand new company would have solidified its position and ensured it had the biggest market share in grocery shopping after Walmart.

What happened in court?

In February 2024, the FTC together with Attorneys General The company represents consumers in eight states – Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming – and filed a federal lawsuit in Oregon to dam the merger. The same goes for the Attorney General of the District of Columbia.

This wasn't the one legal challenge the merger faced. The Washington And Colorado Both attorneys general filed lawsuits in their very own states to dam the merger.

After hearings in each cases and months of uncertainty, judges in Oregon and Washington issued their rulings.

U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson in Portland, Oregon, issued a brief restraining order on December 10 blocked the merger until the end result of the executive proceedings before the FTC.

Just a few hours later, Judge Marshall Ferguson in Seattle issued an injunction barring the merger only in Washington state. Both judges concluded that the merger risked significantly restricting competition and that the businesses didn’t provide sufficient evidence that the merger would help consumers.

“We fight back against mega-monopolies to keep prices down,” Ferguson said. He called the injunction “an important victory for affordability, worker protections and the rule of law.”

Albertsons and Krogers plan to outsource branches to C&S didn’t impress the jury. In addition to finding the divestment inadequate, Nelson concluded that it was “structured in a way that places C&S at a significant disadvantage as a competitor.”

Albertsons vs. Kroger

The morning after the Washington and Oregon decisions were released, the deal was dead.

Albertsons announced that it had terminated its merger agreement. citing the court decisions.

However, each corporations still face significant legal challenges. Five minutes after announcing its intention to exit the deal, Albertsons issued a second press release announcing this filed a lawsuit against Kroger.

Albertsons said Kroger willfully violated the deal “by repeatedly refusing to divest assets required for antitrust approval, ignoring feedback from regulators, rejecting stronger divestiture buyers and failing to cooperate with Albertsons.” The lawsuit seeks substantial damages, including “billion dollars” for lost shareholder value and legal costs, in addition to a $600 million merger termination fee.

In response, Kroger said that “Albertson’s allegations are baseless and without merit.”

Albertsons' lawsuit against Kroger continues to be pending Delaware Chancery Courtwho negotiates many legal business disputes. The criticism stays sealed for now.

By Kate Ashford, NerdWallet

Every yr, Medicare has recent prices, recent plan rankings, and sometimes recent regulations. The costs you pay may differ from the previous yr, and depending in your plan, your network and prescription drug coverage may change. This is what Medicare will appear like in 2025.

Plan rankings have fallen

The average Star Rating for Medicare Advantage According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the number in 2025 is 3.92 out of 5, weighted by enrollment. This is down from the common star rating of 4.07 in 2025 and represents the third consecutive yr that rankings have declined. Ratings also fell for Medicare Part D plans, which have a median rating of three.06 stars in 2025, weighted by enrollment. That's down from the 2024 average of three.34 stars.

Although there will probably be barely fewer Medicare Advantage plans offered in 2025, there will probably be more plans with lower star rankings. “Between 2022 and 2025, the number of cases increased 150-fold [Medicare Advantage] Plans that had a rating of 2 or 2.5 stars out of 5,” says Diane Omdahl, president and co-founder of 65 Incorporated, which provides consulting on Medicare. “This is huge.”

That means, says Omdahl Medicare Advantage Plans They receive less money in the shape of star bonuses from the federal government, which negatively impacts their bottom line. “They’re looking for ways to increase other things like prior approvals and premiums,” Omdahl says. “That’s not good for the consumer.”

Some plans also selected to scale back advantages in 2025 and limit extras equivalent to over-the-counter advantages and meal delivery. Because there are fewer plans in the marketplace, fewer perks, and lower star rankings, it's especially essential that you simply compare plans in your area to search out one which most closely fits your health needs.

Part D: The deductible for medicines is proscribed

In 2025 Medicare Part D Prescription drug deductibles are capped at $2,000. While this appears like a win for the patron, it could even have negative effects. Because drug insurance firms should cover a bigger portion of drug costs, many insurance firms have stopped covering some medications, says Omdahl.

“We conducted a survey and found that 50% of drug plans do not cover between five and eight of the most common nine insulins for diabetics,” says Omdahl. “Only one out of 14 plans covers an insulin called Basaglar. If that’s your insulin and you need to change it, that’s a big deal.”

Bottom line: Make sure your prescription medications are still covered in 2025.

Also note that any purchases you make through online prescription drug discount sites — like GoodRx or Cost Plus Drugs — don't count toward your out-of-pocket limit, says Gretchen Jacobson, vice chairman of Medicare for The Commonwealth Fund, a non-public foundation focused on promoting a high-performance healthcare system. “When we asked people in a survey whether they had ever used these sites, about one in five Medicare recipients said they had,” she says.

Some Medicare Advantage and Part D plans have been eliminated

It's essential to examine your Medicare coverage beforehand Open Medicare Enrollment ends Dec. 7 as some providers have merged or terminated Medicare Advantage or Part D plans for 2025. If you haven't read the annual change notice your insurer sent in September, read it fastidiously.

“We've seen a huge change in the availability of plans, and I don't think that's unique to California,” says Tatiana Fassieux, education and training specialist at California Health Advocates, a nonprofit Medicare advocacy organization and offers education. “In California, we had 26 in 2024 [Part D] plans, and come 2025 there will only be 16 Part D plans.”

When your Medicare Advantage plan expires, you possibly can switch to or return to a different plan Original Medicare; If you do nothing, you’ll default back to Original Medicare. If your Part D plan expires and also you don't select one other plan (and the provider doesn't switch you to 1), you won't have prescription drug coverage in 2025.

The cost of Part A will increase

Medicare Part A Covers inpatient care in hospitals and nursing facilities, in addition to hospice care and a few home health care. For most individuals, Medicare Part A is free because they’ve worked long enough to qualify. If you don't qualify for premium-free Part A, you'll pay as much as $518 monthly in 2025, in comparison with $505 monthly in 2024.

The inpatient hospitalization deductible you pay before Medicare begins coverage is $1,676 for every profit period in 2025, in comparison with $1,632 in 2024. A profit period ends when you will have no inpatient hospitalization for 60 consecutive days received hospital treatment – so it is feasible that there’s a couple of profit period per yr (and a couple of deductible is owed).

If you will have Medicare supplemental insurance (Medigap), many plans cover some or all Part A costs.

Part B costs will increase

Medicare Part B Covers medically obligatory services equivalent to doctor's appointments and diagnostic tests, in addition to preventative services equivalent to vaccinations and wellness visits.

Part B features a monthly premium of $185 monthly in 2025, up from $174.70 in 2024. Part B also features a deductible that you simply pay for care before Medicare begins covering it. In 2025, the deductible will probably be $257, up from $240 in 2024.

If you will have questions or need assistance, contact your state Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which offers free, unbiased advice about Medicare. You can find your local SHIP by clicking here Shiphelp.org.

Originally published: December 3, 2024 at 1:14 pm PST

In September 2023, an Australian Senate committee released a landmark report on concussions and repeated head injuries involved sports.

The committee made 13 recommendations to enhance outcomes for past, present and future players.

The report emphasized shared responsibility and transparency in developing a national approach, with the federal government leading nine of the recommendations.

No official government update has been provided until October 2024.

We assessed the status of the recommendations. In publicly available sources, we found evidence of motion in some areas, but no national strategy that directly addresses the main focus of several key recommendations.

As a part of this review, we searched Australian government web sites Ministry of Health and Aged Care and the Australian Sports Commission/Australian Institute of Sport (ASC/AIS).

We reached out to the Secretary of the Senate Committee and the Ministry of Health and Aged Care for further information, but neither could comment.

We recognize that there may be likely more work happening behind the scenes and that these processes take time.

Here's what we found.

Progress is being made

Over the past 12 months, progress has been made on several recommendations, including those on community awareness, education and guidelines for amateur and youth sports.

The AIS stays committed to health-focused efforts with a variety of resources geared toward increasing community awareness and education.

In June this 12 months, the institute released a brand new series of return-to-play games Guidelines is aimed specifically at community and youth athletes.

This is a concrete response from a state-funded sports organization.

However, these guidelines should be easy for clubs to implement. So far there isn’t a indication that the federal government plans to extend funding or resources for clubs to support this.

The committee also called on national sports organizations to “further consider rule changes to prevent and reduce the impact of concussions and repetitive head injuries, with changes for children and young people prioritizing.”

Have several vital sports laws have modified their rules and we expect them to proceed to give attention to rule changes to make sure the longevity of their sport.

General practitioners (GPs) are sometimes the primary port of call after a concussion and the committee really useful the event of standardized guidelines for GPs and first responders.

This addresses the priority that primary care physicians might have additional training within the treatment of sports-related brain trauma.

In response, the AIS developed a Free online short course for general practitioners.

In progress or lack of progress?

Elsewhere, work appears to be underway or lacking progress, including key recommendations for a National Sports Injury Database (NSID) and skilled sports data sharing.

The research highlighted how patchy data collection contributed to evidence gaps within the understanding of the management and monitoring of sports injuries. The committee's most urgent advice was subsequently that the federal government should establish the NSID.

This would work closely with one other advice that called for skilled sports codes to record and share unidentified concussions and concussions sub-shocking Event data with the NSID.

As of October 2024, in accordance with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the NSID continues to be under development and is just not yet able to receive data.

Further recommendations related to research – establishment of an independent research pathway, ongoing funding commitments and a coordinated and consolidated funding framework.

These recommendations called for existing government agencies or a newly created body to coordinate research on the results of concussions and repetitive head trauma.

Since the investigation, no latest specific avenues of research into sports-related concussions have emerged.

As for funding commitments, in April this 12 months – in accordance with the previous rugby league star Wally Lewis' appearance on the National Press Club – Dementia Australia reported on this government had has pledged A$18 million for concussion and CTE support services and education.

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May 2024 Federal budget provided $132.7 million to extend participation in sports from grassroots to elite sports. But this didn’t address concussions and repetitive head trauma, and we could find no evidence of a coordinated and consolidated funding framework.

We imagine concussion funding pools should focus totally on supporting independent research projects. However, sports organizations are vital to be involved – they supply access to athletes and most of the people in these organizations genuinely care concerning the well-being of athletes.

Another advice called for a national concussion strategy. The focus ought to be on return-to-play protocols and rules to guard participants from head injuries.

The advice included a government role and whether existing government agencies can be best positioned to observe, oversee, and/or implement rules and protocols related to concussions.

In our view, this advice is about rather more than the creation of guidelines. It requires a broader national strategy that also takes into consideration compliance monitoring and enforcement.

We were unable to search out any references to the present status of this advice.

Other priorities included increasing funding and supporting affected athletes.

These recommendations called for a review to remove barriers to staff' compensation and be certain that appropriate insurance arrangements remain in place.

We were unable to search out any evidence as as to whether state and territory governments are involved within the review of staff' compensation for skilled athletes.

The committee again called on the federal government to think about measures to extend donations Brain banks for scientific research.

We were unable to search out any evidence that motion was taken to implement this advice.

Go forward

There was progress in education and policy, however it lacked the coordinated, transparent approach the committee envisioned.

A proper government response, as shown in Canada and the United Kingdomis very important for constructing trust and finding a transparent path forward.

The Australian Government, as guardian of the health of the Australian public, has the chance to do the identical.

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump couldn't be more different – and this divide between them goes far beyond politics and extends to their fashion decisions.

While Harris tends to wear form-fitting pantsuits and female tops, Trump opts for ill-fitting, boxy navy suits and long red ties.

All American politicians often Wear American flag pins on the lapel, in addition to red, white and blue clothing. But my research shows that fashion plays a crucial, symbolic role in politics that goes far beyond patriotism. An individual's appearance reflects their identity and the way they need others to perceive them.

It is smart that political campaigns often work with skilled stylists to decorate and magnificence their leading candidates, thereby defining and reflecting politicians' different personalities, identities and political positions.

Harris' skilled, feminine look

Harris normally wears an updated version of Hillary Clinton famous power pantsuits.

While Clinton's pantsuits through the 2016 presidential campaign had rigid silhouettes that didn't show the form of her body, Harris' pantssuits are more relaxed and fewer formal.

As a senator, Harris joined other Democratic female politicians wore a white pants suit to commemorate and have fun the suffragettes.

Harris now typically wears dark, daring tones, almost monochromatic ensembles, with either dark heels or sneakers.

At the Democratic National Convention in August 2024, Harris accepted the presidential nomination, wearing a perhaps unsurprising navy blue pantsuit with the politician's usual American flag pin on his lapel. She accomplished the look with mid-heeled evening shoes and a navy blue dress Blouse with pussycat bowsometimes called Lavallière. The pussy-bow shirt, which became popular amongst working women within the Seventies, is a female version of a standard tie.

This form of tie has a soft bow on the neck that may be tied in some ways.

Harris' decision to commonly wear pussy-bow blouses shows that she has a female flair, and it's also a nod to previous feminist icons who wore such a bow.

When Harris wears sneakers – often Chuck Taylors – with a pantsuit, it jogs my memory of how actress Helen Hunt's character wore practical commuter sneakers with business attire within the Nineties and 2000s.”Crazy about you” TV series.

The unusual pantsuit and sneakers combination shows that Harris is a busy, skilled woman – who can also be young, energetic and friendly with other women.

Walz's American Dad style

Harris' Vice President Tim Walz has also drawn public attention for his selection of clothing.

At the Democratic National Convention in August, former President Barack Obama noted that Walz commonly wore plaid flannel shirts. “You can tell that the flannel shirts he wears don't come from some political advisor. They come from his closet and have been through a lot.” Obama said.

Walz' typical outfitsincluding plaid shirts, jeans and a worn suit with an unbuttoned shirt collar and no tie, signals that he’s authentic and relatable to the common American.

This unofficial uniform also helps solidify the general public's perception of Walz as an archetypal American Coach and father.

The Harris-Walz campaign capitalized on Walz's image by selling merchandise that looked like something out of his closet.

The campaign camouflage hatwhich says “HARRIS WALZ” in daring, orange font, has turn into an especially popular item – sold out and leading to the manufacturer not being there on the lookout for materials and sewing machines to make more hats.

Vance and Trump's Aesthetics

Republican politicians also show who they’re or wish to be through their fashion decisions. Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, for instance, has significantly modified his appearance from his first political involvement just a few years ago until his election as a senator in 2023.

In 2017, Vance incessantly wore jeans, an open-collared button-down shirt, and an unbuttoned blazer during his book tour. When he was elected senator in 2023, he began wearing a suit and tie.

More recently, Vance began dressing Unofficial “Make America Great Again” uniformconsisting of a tailored dark blue suit, red tie and white shirt with dark shoes. With this outfit selection, Vance dresses in red, white and blue, a nod to the American flag and an indication of his patriotism.

Trump wears a virtually an identical political uniform that’s immediately recognizable and closely related to conservative politicians.

When Trump selected Vance as his vice chairman in July 2024, Vance also dyed his gray hair brown to possibly appear younger. Perhaps it became more essential for Vance to seem younger after 81-year-old President Joe Biden withdrew from the Democratic nomination and 60-year-old Harris became the presidential candidate.

Beyond the campaign, Trump released 1,000 pairs of limited-edition high-top sneakers called “Never Surrender” in February 2024. These shoes that sold out quicklywere covered in shiny gold lamé and had an American flag printed across the collar of the sneakers.

I recently found several examples of pairs of Trump sneakers Selling on eBay and other online stores for 1000’s of dollars.

Fashion on either side

Harris' combination of solid-colored blouses, pantsuits and sneakers, together with Walz's outfits as a Midwestern father, will likely help the candidates appear likeable to many working-class voters and girls.

Likewise, Trump's classic red MAGA hat and tie, in addition to Vance's similar uniform of dark blue suit, white button-down shirt, and red tie, illustrate their concentrate on male conservatism.

Candidates' style doesn't tell voters details about campaign guarantees or policies, however it does give an idea of ​​who the candidates think they’re.

It's that point of 12 months again: The annual open enrollment season for medical insurance under the Affordable Care Act is starting in most states November 1st and lasts until January fifteenth.

Currently enrolled individuals who don’t update their information or select an alternate will robotically be reinstated to their current plan or, if that plan is not any longer available, to a plan with similar coverage.

Last 12 months saw a record variety of around 21 million people. This time, consumers will notice that some things have modified.

Don't fall for promoting scams

While some medical insurance firms offer small gift cards or other incentives to encourage participation in wellness activities, they might not offer money cards price 1000’s of dollars monthly to assist with groceries, gas or rent. Yet social media and online sites are awash with such guarantees.

Such advertisements are among the many opportunities allegedly utilized by unscrupulous brokers who purchase or switch plans without consumers' explicit consent. in response to a lawsuit filed in Florida.

Also, watch out in regards to the web sites you utilize to go looking for insurance coverage.

Type “Obamacare” or “cheap health insurance” right into a search engine and sometimes the very first thing that pops up are sponsored private sector web sites that aren’t affiliated with the official state or federal government marketplaces for ACA insurance.

Even though they fight to look official, they aren’t. Many of those sites offer quite a lot of options, including non-ACA coverage with limited advantages. a “Secret Shopper” study from 2023. Such non-ACA coverage wouldn’t be eligible for federal subsidies to assist consumers pay premiums.

The positive print on some web sites states that customers who provide personal information robotically consent to be contacted by sales representatives via telephone calls, emails, text messages or automated systems with pre-recorded messages.

When exploring plans, all the time start with the official federal marketplace website. healthcare.gov.

Even if you happen to don't live in one in all these areas 29 states are served by the federal marketThe website provides the link to your official registration page whenever you select your state or the District of Columbia from a drop-down list. Federal and state marketplaces even have call centers and other opportunities to receive enrollment assistance. For example, the Find Help Local link on Healthcare.gov allows consumers to seek out helpers or sales representatives of their area.

Is it real insurance?

Another problem: Regulators are seeing a rise in consumer complaints about medical insurance offerings that require them to hitch a limited liability company or otherwise confirm that they work for a selected company. In fact, at the very least two states – Maryland And Maine — have warned that as an alternative of comprehensive ACA coverage, it is commonly non-ACA products that quantity to, for instance, a hodgepodge of discount cards or limited compensation plans. This style of plan pays a flat amount—for instance, $50 for a physician's visit or $1,000 for a hospital stay—and is meant to support, not replace, more comprehensive coverage.

“Unlike large health insurance plans, some of these self-funded plans only cover preventive services such as an annual physical or annual health screening,” the Maine Bureau of Insurance alert said.

Premiums may very well be higher… and other latest things

Some insurers will reduce premium rates for 2025, but many others will increase them.

Although the ultimate numbers are still being determined, experts estimate a mean increase in premiums of seven%. in response to an evaluation by KFFa nonprofit health information organization that features KFF Health News. Most individuals who get ACA insurance might be eligible for a subsidy to cover premiums, which likely offsets much of the rise, although the upper cost means the federal government can pay more for these subsidies.

Rising healthcare costs – including for hospital care and the brand new class of weight-loss drugs – are contributing to this increase.

Some other changes on this open season:

• People often called “Dreamers” because they qualify for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — a federal program that gives some protections to people dropped at the country as children without proper immigration documents Enroll in ACA insurance now and be eligible for subsidies.

• Short-term plans that aren’t technically ACA coverage and aren’t subject to profit rules and pre-existing profit protections could also be issued coverage for a maximum of 4 months under a Biden Administration motion that went into effect when the plans began 1 .September. It rolls back a Trump administration rule that relaxed requirements to permit insurers to supply as much as 364 days of coverage and gave insurers the choice to increase policies for as much as two additional years. Existing plans and people issued before September 1 aren’t covered by the brand new rules. But consumers who’ve relied on the longer periods must review the small print of their plans and consider enrolling in an ACA plan as an alternative to avoid having their short-term plan expire at the start or mid-year and potentially leaving them for won’t have the option to acquire another insurance coverage for the rest of the 12 months.

The registration process may additionally take longer

Federal regulators have struggled with a growing variety of complaints this 12 months – 200,000 in the primary six months alone – Consumers who were enrolled in or switched from ACA plans without their express consent by agents searching for commissions.

To thwart such efforts, they’ve introduced latest rules.

What does this mean for many consumers? If you're working with a brand new broker – one who isn't already listed in your ACA plan – you'll likely must have a three-way conversation with the federal marketplace to verify that you just're actually authorizing that broker to make changes to your policy for the approaching 12 months . Please allow for this to take additional time. No one knows how busy the decision lines might be during open enrollment.

You don't need to use a broker to register. However, since it's difficult to wade through the handfuls of options available on the market, most individuals actually seek help. Consumers must weigh not only the monthly premium cost, but additionally differences in deductibles and copays for things like doctor visits, hospital stays and medications.

Shop around

Experts say that when selecting a plan, you need to also consider whether the network includes the doctors and hospitals you normally see and whether the formulary covers your prescription medications and the way much they charge for them.

To make comparisons easier, rules took effect two years ago that require insurers to supply some “standardized plans” as options, all of which should have the identical deductibles and costs for things like doctor's visits, emergency room visits and other consumer cost-sharing.

Still, many individuals have dozens of options available to them, which will be daunting.

However, one piece of recommendation stays: whether you're signing up for the primary time or have already got a plan, it's all the time price shopping around. Even if you happen to don't change your plan, you’ll be able to be certain that the plan you have got remains to be your only option.

In most states, consumers must enroll by December fifteenth to receive coverage that begins January 1st. Note in Idaho, where open enrollment begins earlier – October fifteenth – but additionally ends earlier, ending December fifteenth. In California, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia residents can register until January thirty first.

Federal scientists are closely examining the H5N1 gene sequences from California dairy staff, in search of dangerous mutations that would make the virus, called avian influenza or bird flu, more proficient at jumping from animals to people after which spreading.

“It can give us insight into how the virus is evolving,” he said Stanford infectious disease expert Dr. Abraar Karan. “It’s a window into what’s going on.”

Samples of the virus were obtained through swabs from two patients with the state's first known human cases of bird flu, the California Department of Public Health confirmed Thursday. Although the patients' whereabouts haven’t been disclosed, their illnesses are unrelated. They became in poor health independently after exposure to cows and didn’t spread from individual to individual. The risk to the population stays low.

Both cases were mild with little or no respiratory symptoms. The predominant criticism was a standard eye infection called conjunctivitis, brought on by staff not wearing adequate eye protection when working with infected cattle. The virus attaches to cells within the membrane that lines the attention.

Samples of the California virus have been sent to the US Centers for Disease Control, which is genetically decoding them. But the work is difficult since the samples often contain very small amounts of lively viral RNA, the molecule into which flu genomes are written.

By comparing samples to one another and to other samples within the U.S., scientists can determine whether the virus is mutating in a way that makes it more more likely to infect other people.

If that is the case, the chance of the disease sweeping through the population and potentially triggering a dangerous outbreak increases.

The same sequencing technology is the important thing tool in identifying and tracking the emergence of latest SARS-CoV2 variants, a field of labor called “genomic epidemiology.” With widespread use through the COVID-19 pandemic, it has turn into easier, faster and more ubiquitous, proving to be one of the necessary innovations of the twenty first century.

H5N1, like our more familiar flu viruses, is consistently changing because it multiplies and diversifies. Viruses are in an evolutionary arms race – because the immune system produces recent antibodies, the virus develops recent mutations.

Each iteration is meant to supply a bonus, corresponding to the flexibility to bypass the immune system or create an extreme risk of infection.

Viruses spread in small and sometimes large ways. It just isn’t yet known what genetic changes would allow H5N1 to higher infect people or turn into airborne.

“When this happens, the virus itself undergoes mutations that can change its dangerousness,” Karan said. “We have to be aware of these changes.”

Genetic sequencing will even help make sure that future vaccines and antiviral drugs are a great “fit” and protective.

To stave off an outbreak, the federal government's Center for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) announced Thursday that it’s providing about $72 million to 4 pharmaceutical firms – CSL Seqirus, Sanofi and GSK – to cope with the following ones Steps to absorb the production of H5N1 vaccines. The vaccines now in bulk warehouses are being transferred into ready-to-use vials or pre-filled syringes to immunize people so that they are ready for distribution.

“As infections in domesticated animals continue to spread, the risk of infection in humans may increase,” said BARDA Director Gary Disbrow. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are taking steps to increase the amount of vaccines that could be immediately available if needed.”

The virus has already modified significantly because it was first discovered in geese in 1996. In 2020, a brand new, highly pathogenic form emerged in Europe and quickly spread all over the world. In the United States, greater than 100 million farmed birds were affected, the worst bird flu outbreak within the country's history.

New mutations have facilitated the spread from birds to several other species, including humans. It has been detected in wild animals corresponding to bears, foxes, seals and skunks, domestic animals corresponding to cats and dogs, and zoo animals corresponding to tigers and leopards. Even marine mammals corresponding to harbor seals, gray seals and bottlenose dolphins can turn into infected.

The rising case is affecting cows at California dairies — in lower than a month, the variety of infected herds rose from 3 to 56 — worrying epidemiologists and health experts who monitor farm staff.

Since March, when the H5N1 virus was first detected in dairy cows within the United States, there have been greater than a dozen cases of human infections resulting from contact with infected animals.

An early genomic evaluation by the CDC found slight differences between human, bovine and avian versions of the virus.

There was a genetic change in humans – a mutation called PB2 E67K – that has a known connection to virus adaptation to mammalian hosts. Scientists emphasized that this just isn’t related to virulence or rapid transmission.

Mutations can explain clinical symptoms – for instance, why the virus, like other flu viruses, appears to affect an individual's eyes greater than the upper respiratory tract.

A case reported in Missouri on September 6 is drawing particular attention. The investigators found no reference to cattle or unprocessed foods corresponding to raw milk.

Jürgen Richt, a veterinary virologist at Kansas State University in Manhattan, called it “a mysterious case.”

“So you have to cast your net a little wider,” he told Nature magazine. “Maybe they cleaned out a bird feeder in the house. Were they at a state fair? What kind of food did they eat?”

On September 13, the CDC announced that around the identical time, two individuals who had close contact with the infected person also became in poor health. One of them was not tested for flu; the opposite tested negative.

In the meantime, researchers are combing through this patient's patchy genomic sequence data from virus samples – and can compare it to the California cases and other samples.

According to John Korslund, a retired U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinary epidemiologist who studies livestock diseases, the 2 cases in California “are not in themselves a cause for concern about pandemic risk.”

“But each case is still important in its own right,” he said, “because each one of them could signal trends toward viral adaptation for person-to-person spread.”

Originally published: October 4, 2024 at 3:42 p.m

It is all the time a pleasure to go to the town center San Jose Fire Museumbut being at retired fire Chief Sam Seibert's party was truly special.

Seibert turned 105 on Monday and was the guest of honor at a celebration on the Market Street firehouse-turned-museum on Tuesday. He sat on a throne, was serenaded by retired firefighter Jim True and blew out the three candles on his chocolate birthday cake. (Had it been 105, that might need set off some alarms.)

Seibert acknowledged that few people have reached his age and lived nearly as good a life as he has, particularly his work as a firefighter and his involvement within the founding of the San Jose Fire Museum, which incorporates a lot of his donated items and even has a gallery dedicated to him in the doorway hall.

“This fire department is very special to everyone who is in this building,” he said. “Most people have come here because they want to see me die, but I'm not leaving for another week or two,” he joked. “It's a joy to be in this organization.”

John McMillan, one other retired firefighter who’s president of the museum, said, “We are so lucky to have Sam in our lives. He told me and some other friends that his goal was 105. But I expect we can start planning for 110 now.”

Seibert may already be the oldest living firefighter within the United States, as New Jersey native Victor Dransfield died in June on the age of 110.

McMillan said Seibert looks higher than he has in years and attributed that partly to the individuals who deal with him. But a few of Seibert's secrets to longevity were revealed on the party: He recommends not sitting around an excessive amount of and says drinking an excessive amount of water causes pipes to rust. “He drinks beer and soda,” McMillan said, laughing.

I don't think my doctor would agree. But Seibert managed to live greater than twice so long as I did, so you possibly can't really argue with the outcomes.

CHEERS: Philanthropist Al Castellano also had a milestone birthday last weekend: He celebrated his ninetieth birthday and partied with family and friends – including his recent great-granddaughter – on the Saratoga Country Club on Saturday evening.

Castellano is best known for winning the then-record $141 million California Lottery jackpot in 2001, which he and his late wife, Carmen Castellano, become a family foundation that provided tens of millions of dollars in grants to Latino causes within the Bay Area and elsewhere over twenty years.

Looking dapper in a black tuxedo, Castellano talked about his childhood in Hollister, where he met Carmen and raised his three children – Armando Castellano, Maria West and Carmela Castellano-Garcia – within the Cambrian Park neighborhood of San Jose. Mariachi Azteca performed for the gang, but “Happy Birthday” was played by Armando Castellano on French horn and his son – and Al Castellano's grandson – Wim Castellano on guitar.

STAGE PRESENCE: The reading tour of US Representative Nancy Pelosi from San Francisco – undoubtedly probably the most powerful politician in US history – and her autobiography “The Art of Power” brought people to San Jose on Monday and to a full house on the California Theater.

Pelosi spoke for over an hour onstage with Bay Area philanthropist and education advocate Laurene Powell Jobs, discussing her life in politics and her hopes for the longer term. The appearance, sponsored by the Kepler's Literary Foundation, was accompanied by two standing ovations, many outbursts of applause and loud protests in support of Gaza from the balcony, prompting Pelosi to lift her volume to what she called her “mother-of-five” voice.

Attendees also got a glimpse into her personal life, including her passion for chocolate. The former Speaker of the House fueled herself for the event with a dark chocolate milkshake from My Milkshake shop just just a few blocks away.

CURSES: Apparently there weren't enough wards across the Guggenheim family, which operates 3Below cinemas in downtown San Jose, to maintain COVID at bay. Unfortunately, attributable to illness, 3Below needed to cancel all of its “Back to Hogwarts” plans for this weekend, including a Harry Potter party and a 22-hour, eight-movie marathon.

They plan to try again next 12 months, but within the meantime, movies are still playing within the theater – luckily the Guggenheims don't need to be there for movies like they do for events. You can find the schedule at www.3belowtheaters.com.

FUN WEEKEND: This weekend, Tech Interactive is getting really prehistoric with a “T.REX Takeover,” inspired by its latest IMAX educational film, “T.REX,” about three kids who discover a young T. rex. Tyler Lyson, the paleontologist featured within the film, will probably be available for a Q&A on Saturday following the 11 a.m. screening.

Later Saturday, Lyson will probably be joined by fellow paleontologist Nathan Smith for “Dino Fight Night,” a fun talk hosted by writer/illustrator Ted Rechlin on a subject dino fans will love: which dinosaurs would win in a fight? There may even be activities throughout the weekend resembling fossil hunting and making a dino egg bath bomb, together with visits from Azul and Rex, the Tech's dinosaur mascots.

Stomp over to thetech.org/trextakeover for further details and ticket information.

Originally published: August 27, 2024 at 3:28 pm

Lake Tahoe has long been a destination for ski lovers and sun worshippers, but through the years – and with a bit of help from friends in Hollywood – the vibe has modified. Of course, there are still loads of rustic chalets and beachside restaurants here, but renovated lodging options and a few glamorous recent restaurants have added a bit of more glitz to the scene in Stateline and South Lake Tahoe.

Big names have breathed recent life into a few of Lake Tahoe's more desolate corners. Harvey's Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino provided some glitz and glamour due to “Real Housewives” and “Vanderpump Rules” star Lisa Vanderpump and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

Ramsay opens Hell's Kitchen here just before the pandemic, serving his signature Beef Wellington and other steakhouse fare to the Stateline crowd. But the resort received one other glitzy infusion in April when Vanderpump expanded her partnership with Caesar's Entertainment to Harveys and moved into the space next to Hell's Kitchen.

Vanderpump is an experienced restaurateur – and not only on TV. She and her husband Ken Rodd own several restaurants, including the one in West Hollywood ON Restaurant & Loungewhich is the main target of Bravo-TV's dramatic reality series “”.Vanderpump rules.”

“Scandolaval” isn’t on the menu – or so we hope – in the brand new Wolf from Vanderpump, which showcases the over-the-top aesthetic Vanderpump is known for, with a flair that is distinctly Tahoe. The wolf theme plays off the surrounding wilderness, and the place exudes all the elegance you'd expect from the brand. So. Lots. Chandeliers.

The menu doesn't disappoint, either. Try the fried goat cheese and spicy honey appetizer made famous by “Vanderpump Rules,” then dig into giant shrimp tacos and herb-dusted wild salmon. The cocktails here taste as good as they look, including perfectly pink pumptinis—vodka, St-Germain, grapefruit, raspberry and lime—as well as Vanderpump wines and a particularly good espresso martini.

The celebrity influence doesn't end there, though. Late last year, the hotel, located between Heavenly Village and Harveys, was transformed into a Margaritaville resort after the hotel chain inspired by Jimmy Buffett's music and lifestyle gave the all-suite property a mountain paradise-style makeover.

The Parrothead's vibe fits the Lake Tahoe clientele of yesteryear, and the all-suite resort's remodel has yielded a fun, inviting space with plenty of bells and whistles and some very entertaining dining options. Reserve a table at the new JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, or stop by LandShark, a more casual dining concept with live music on the patio.

The elegant Edgewood Tahoe Resortwhich opened in 2017, offers lakeside dining, a spa and Tahoe's only lakefront golf course. But these days, you can also add a MasterCraft excursion to your lake experience, with luxury charters starting at $1,125 for a half-day, plus kayak ($75 per hour) and stand-up paddleboard ($55) rentals.

The resort recently opened its Brooks' Bar & Deckoverlooking the golf course. The casual eatery is known for its sophisticated comfort food – steak and fries and a BLTP sandwich that adds pimento cheese to the usual ingredients – as well as lake views and cozy fire pits when the weather gets cooler.

Of course, a little bit of sparkle comes naturally. Some of Lake Tahoe's most coveted dining reservations may not be new, but they offer sunsets so spectacular that we just have to mention them.

From its vantage point on Harrah's Lake Tahoe, Friday's Station Steak and Seafood Grill offers beautiful views of pink and orange skies over sparkling turquoise waters. And the menu of steakhouse classics ranges from oysters to grilled swordfish and filet mignon.

Across the street from Harveys, the Sage Room Steak House offers a different atmosphere – rustic and western – but similarly impressive lake views and steakhouse classics like prime rib and lobster tail.

When you go

Harvey's Lake Tahoe: Find Wolf by Vanderpump, Hell's Kitchen and Sage Room Steak House at this Stateline resort on Highway 50 at Stateline Avenue; www.caesars.com/harveys-tahoe.

Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe: Find JWB Prime Steak and Seafood and LandShark Bar & Grill at this South Lake Tahoe resort at 4130 Lake Tahoe Blvd.; www.margaritavilleresorts.com.

Edgewood Tahoe Resort: Find Brooks' Bar & Deck and other restaurants at this Stateline resort at 180 Lake Parkway; www.edgewoodtahoe.com.

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe: Find Friday's Station Steak and Seafood Grill at 15 Highway 50 in Stateline; www.caesars.com/harrahs-tahoe.

The idle hour: Open daily at 3351 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe;
www.theidlehourlaketahoe.com.

Originally published: August 5, 2024 at 9:00 a.m.

Name changes are nothing recent within the theme park business. Sometimes a park loses the license to make use of a certain brand name. But often name changes are only one other marketing tool. Giving something a brand new name gets attention.

Disney has announced many name changes for its theme parks in recent times. With the upcoming renaming of the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris to Disney Adventure World, Disneyland is even changing the name of a complete park. This week, Disneyland Change of name of the Disney Genie+ service to Lightning Lane Multi Pass to deal with ongoing customer confusion over the renaming of its former Fastpass service.

“Fastpass” had change into such a well-liked brand name that it became an industry-wide umbrella term for all theme park line-skipping services. But when Disney decided to charge for access to alternate lines at its hottest rides, it decided—properly—to rename those lines “Lightning Lanes.”

Fastpass was a free service. Lightning Lane just isn’t. The name change probably helped avoid much more resistance and confusion to Disney's change. But then Disney screwed up. It was tricky enough that Disney decided to sell access to some Lightning Lanes individually while bundling access to others. Calling this package “Disney Genie+” didn't make sense. The recent name – Lightning Lane Multi Pass – higher describes this service.

Disney would even have done well to alter the name of one other way people get to those alternate queues. Last month, Disneyland its system for accommodating guests with disabilities. A change was needed because Disney's old implementation of the Disability Access Service (“DAS”) led to abuse by giving registered individuals an advance reminiscent of two free entries to Lightning Lane.

But that's not the world that Disney or other major theme parks currently operate in. Some people still need a substitute for queues that remain inaccessible to them.

Disney continues to supply timed returns to guests with developmental disabilities and their companions through Lightning Lanes. However, by continuing to make use of the name “DAS” for this selection, Disney is creating frustration for guests who’ve previously used this selection and now find it isn’t any longer available to them. As with Fastpass and Lightning Lane, a change to a brand new name could have helped increase awareness of a brand new system.

More work must be done to optimize Disney's accessibility program before more fans consider it fair. Smarter use of names and types may also help Disney higher communicate these changes once they occur.

Originally published: July 23, 2024 at 8:41 am