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Los Angeles Times
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Los Angeles Times
Opinion: Chasing the rush, facing the wreckage
Julian, 17, pulled out of a Ralphs parking lot on Devonshire Street in Granada Hills at 10:00 PM on April 14, 2025, in a BMW M5 CS. In the passenger's seat was David, also 17. Leaving the car meet-up attended by young professionals and car enthusiasts, however, they didn't know that it would be the last time either of them would ever see cars the same way. The same two boys who once lived and breathed all things cars, obsessed with their curves and speed, are now facing a very different future. Right before the collision, David screamed from inside the vehicle, 'F- – -! Is this really happening?!' before ordering Julian to 'cross [his] arms across [his] chest' to prevent them from breaking during impact. Today, Julian, who is no longer insurable, resorts to lifts from his family members or Ubers to go anywhere in the city. If it hadn't been for Life360, an app that triggers instantaneous notifications upon impact or detection of a crash, there's no saying if both boys would have made it to the ER in time. The life-saving app that tracks real-time speed and location pinpointed with precision where their crash occurred. The aftermath of Julian's BMW M5 CS colliding into a guardrail off Devonshire Street in Granada Hills. In the U.S. alone, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teens. About 1 out of every 8 fatal crashes involves a young driver . Every day, 8 teens die due to car crashes , leaving hundreds more injured, and California has the second highest number of crashes in the country involving young drivers. These occurrences are preventable, and a closer examination of their causes can help drivers and families understand why they're likely to happen in the first place. The rise of influencers on TikTok and Instagram doing 'donuts,' 'drifts,' and driving as if they're on a racetrack isn't helping matters. Teens, who are easily influenced, seek out the adrenaline rush from attempting the same maneuvers on an empty road. Long-time Brentwood resident Angella Bina, 52, whose own brother totaled his car after crashing into a light pole off Sepulveda Boulevard, is adamant about safe driving when it comes to her own children. 'If something ever happens to you, my world and life will come to an end,' she tells her son each time he takes the car out late. The Center for Disease Control reports that teenagers make critical errors that can lead to serious crashes and engage in risky driving behaviors, especially when a male teenage passenger is present. They're more likely than older drivers to not recognize dangerous situations. Insurance companies keen on this even offer 'Good Student Discount' options for student drivers with better academic performance in school. The assumption here is that young drivers who are responsible when it comes to their studies are more likely to be responsible drivers . But some adolescents will disagree. Other influences, such as marijuana, illicit drugs, alcohol, and prescription medication, which can be abused by students of all academic performance levels, naturally impair driving. 'None of my friends have driven drunk, but high? Teah,' said one Milken Community School senior. One recent high school grad, Liam, had just left a dinner party in Malibu. His dad had let him take out his treasured Audi RS7 for the occasion, reminding him to 'be smart.' The ocean air blew through the cabin as Liam headed north up a near-empty PCH, the twin-turbo V8 purring under his feet. As the city lights faded behind him and the curves of the highway opened up, Liam pushed on the gas. 70 MPH became 90, then 110. The Audi gripped the asphalt like it was built for it, but just as it was passing Zuma Beach, a sharp bend snuck up quicker than expected. The car flipped, once, then twice, before landing upside down, just off the side of the road. Miraculously, Liam walked away with minor injuries, but the car was destroyed. Liam's debacle is a reminder of not just the caveats to driving, but of how fast everything can go wrong. 'Seeing my family's faces after making it out alive showed me that they truly cared,' Liam said. 'I've learned not to take life for granted, and that a few seconds of adrenaline rush isn't worth my life.' Devin Maghen, however, wasn't as fortunate. 29 years old today, Maghen's life spun out of control the day his car made an unintentional sharp left turn into oncoming traffic while driving south on Sepulveda Boulevard on an ordinary day. He has been suffering from brain trauma ever since the accident 13 years ago. What's left of Maghen's 2012 Infiniti G Coupe from the head-on collision on Sepulveda Blvd. To this day, Maghen has no memory of what exactly caused the crash, but the collision put him into a coma that lasted three months. When he finally woke up, he had to relearn everything: how to walk, talk, eat, and lie down. Today, he is legally blind. In a recent exchange between Maghen and Julian, Maghen made a point to say, 'My friends were there for me when I got in my accident, but they started to move on, and I was stuck in the hospital alone. I don't blame them.' Maghen's story isn't unique to him. Today, Maghen is a music instructor at Parsi Music & Art Center. However, many high-achieving teens, even those taking honors and AP courses, accomplished and talented in sports, music, or the arts, have seen their lives take a sharp turn in the blink of an eye. The allure of a driver's license or the attraction of the roads that make experiencing freedom at this age appear exhilarating is not all it appears to be. Driving is serious. A car is not just transportation. It is a two-ton piece of metal that can change lives instantaneously—and a powerful reminder of life's fragility. It is a wake-up call to take the responsibility of driving seriously. Check out AAA's Teen Driver Safety bulletin that provides not only essential, common-sense tips for every young driver, and also this useful guide for both parents and youth. Download the free Life360 App on your phone today. Related
Los Angeles Times
26-06-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Anti-vaxxers are running the show at the CDC vaccine advisory meeting
Quick! If you're reading this newsletter first thing Thursday morning, you probably still have time to catch the Real Housewives-worthy drama happening at the Center for Disease Control's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting in Atlanta right now. This semiannual bureaucratic conclave of public health professionals is not usually must-see TV. (The summer meeting typically fine-tunes flu shot recommendations.) But earlier this month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. removed all 17 sitting members of the committee and replaced them with the seven who now make up the group. Critics have flagged several of the new members for their anti-vax views. But this week's conference, which began Wednesday morning, is their public debut. On Friday, the American Academy of Pediatrics put out a video message blasting the new committee and declaring themselves 'the experts on vaccinations for infants' — an allusion to the fear among many in public health that ACIP could radically alter current guidelines for childhood inoculation. I called my favorite health communicator, infectious disease epidemiologist Jessica Malaty Rivera, to get the down-low from Day One while the meeting played in the background. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. I cannot believe I am watching ACIP, a previously highly respected body, allow folks like [Dr.] Robert Malone and [Dr. Retsef] Levi to repeat demonstrably false claims. This is platforming harmful dangerous medical misinformation. It is a manipulation of data, it is a farce. This [meeting] will likely lead to decisions being made about what's available this fall for flu and respiratory virus season. I was not lucky enough to have an RSV vaccine when I had my kids. When my child was hospitalized for a week with RSV in 2019, I remember sobbing in the hospital wishing there was a vaccine so I didn't have to see my 19-month-old on oxygen. No parent should have to experience that, and now it is preventable. What's at stake here is the entire pediatric vaccine schedule. The American Academy of Pediatrics posted saying if [the new committee] go after the vaccines, we will continue to have an AAP-approved vaccine schedule based on evidence. It's going to confuse parents. There's already so much distrust over who is a reliable source. They're forcing groups who've previously been in lockstep to become alternate sources of information because we can no longer rely on these .gov websites. I now have to second-guess when I send somebody to the CDC website. And that is terrifying. When people make decisions based on lies, people will die. They're going to cast doubt about vaccine ingredients, about vaccines and autism, about the number of vaccines, about whether it's a 'toxic load' — which is a bunch of bull. If you look at the schedule, the only thing that's increased is the amount of protection. What's in the vaccines is 90% less taxing than what was in the vaccines when I was getting them in the '80s. [Modern vaccines use far fewer antigens, and they protect from far more diseases. That makes them less demanding on kids' immune systems.] Everybody will be impacted by these decisions. They're going to be withholding funding from the Global Vaccine Alliance, which is an absolutely abhorrent decision. It's wicked. So many kids used to die before these interventions. ACIP has been compromised and our systems have been hijacked. So any decisions that come out of ACIP today or tomorrow, I would be extremely skeptical about. That's something I say with a very, very heavy heart. On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marriage that can't be denied by state law. Although California had legalized same-sex marriage two years prior, supporters around the state said they were no less elated to learn that the U.S. Supreme Court had extended the right to all Americans. The historic news moved many to tears, shouts of joy and spontaneous celebration. Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew Campa, Sunday writerKarim Doumar, head of newsletters How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
SD doctors on measles, removal of CDC vaccine experts
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The South Dakota State Medical Association is speaking out against the recent removal of the entire advisory committee for vaccinations at the Center for Disease Control. This comes at the same time measles cases are being seen in South Dakota. This week, all 17 immunization experts who advise the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were removed from their positions. South Dakota State Medical Association president, Dr. Keith Hansen, says he wasn't sure why when he heard the news. Pride fests and protests make for busy Sioux Falls weekend 'To me, it didn't make a lot of sense. Why would you fire all of these very well-respected, intelligent individuals who spend all this time and effort to come up with these recommendations?' Hansen said. In response to the change, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he's already tapped their replacements. 'We're going to bring people on to the ACIP Panel, not anti-vaxxers, we're bringing people on who are credentialed scientists or highly credentialed physicians who are going to do evidence-based medicine,' RFK Jr. said. This month South Dakota saw it's second case of measles this year, both on the west side of the state. It's something Hansen says can be preventable by vaccines. 'Measles is a very highly contagious disease. So our best battle is for individuals to get the vaccine and to try to get as many people vaccinated as we can.' Hansen said. 'So that we maximize herd immunity and also the individual's immunity, and especially for our real young kids.'Monument Health's chief of staff, Dr. Michael Huot in Rapid City says the MMR vaccine is still used today since approved by the FDA in 1971. 'The reason we still use treatments that are that old is because they're extremely effective and extremely safe. So, of vaccinations that MMR has had hundreds of millions of people vaccinated,' Huot said. With over 100,000 followers on TikTok, Huot hopes to continue spreading medical knowledge to those in his community and beyond. 'It also kind of dispels a lot of misinformation out there. I think it's a way for people to connect with somebody locally,' Huot said. As of Wednesday, eight new vaccine members have been appointed to the panel by RFK Jr. Click here for more info about measles symptoms. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Overdose deaths decrease nationwide, and here in the Upstate
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), overdose deaths have decreased nationwide by almost 27% in the past year, and are projected to reach their lowest level since 2019. 'You realize you have a problem, you know true leadership is dealing with the problem and then putting the plan in place, and I believe that's probably what's happening nationwide,' said Spartanburg Co. coroner Rusty Clevenger. Clevenger's data showed overdose deaths in Spartanburg Co. skyrocketed during Covid. He said it was then that he and state officials knew they not only needed to track the deaths, but exactly where these drugs were coming from and which ones were the cause. 'We had to figure out where the hotspots were at so we could put you know, measures in place to try, whether it be education or whatever, and it seems to be working as well,' he said. Data showed Spartanburg County saw a marked decrease in overdose deaths in 2024. 'The numbers are holding steady about last year's levels, maybe a little bit less right now,' Clevenger explained. However Keith Blanton, the Pastor and Superintendent at Faith Home, a non-profit Christian recovery center, said beds in their facilities across the Upstate stay full. He told us between their four locations, there are 135 beds. 'I think more people are getting help,' said Blanton. 'I just do. I think that you know, Narcan is a good thing. It saves people's lives and as long as they're alive, you know there's a chance.' Blanton said thanks to the coroner's office and law enforcement agencies tracking 'hotspots' and providing education, drugs no longer have to be the end of every user's story. 'It's tough,' Blanton said. 'It's tough at first especially, but it gets easier, and it gets better. But if I had one thing to say, you do not have to live that way, there's a way out if you want out.' Blanton told 7NEWS over the years that the people they serve have become significantly younger. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
It might be time to get the men in your life to see a doctor!
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Every June, you have the opportunity to celebrate the men in your life by sending them to the doctor. Maybe not the doctor, but to make sure they stay healthy. Men's Health Week is the week leading up to Father's Day every year. Men are encouraged to make their health a priority and, of course, spread awareness. According to Arik Olson, the medical director with Fidelis Care, you have to be consistent. 'I believe it's important for all men to have a primary care provider. That could be a doctor, a nurse practitioner, a physician assistant,' said Olson. 'But I believe it's important to see that doctor, or primary care provider, at least once a year just for a check-up. Even if you're not sick, just to see if there's anything you should be doing to stay healthy.' According to data from the Center for Disease Control, the leading causes of death for men include heart disease, cancer, and accidents. They say: 14.7% of men 18 and older are in fair or poor health 30.9% had five or more drinks in one day, at least once within a year 12.5% smoke cigarettes 7.6% use E-cigarettes 50.8% are struggling with hypertension 39.2% of men 20 and older are considered obese There are a number of things men can do for their health, including eating healthy, exercising, not smoking, and not drinking too much. Those are the usual suspects, but Olson says it's also important to get your teeth cleaned every year and be social. 'Even joining a sports league or meeting with a group of people for whatever reason — maybe to play cards — has significant impacts for our health.' Then, of course, there are age-specific tests to keep in mind, like getting a colonoscopy after the age of 45. On Friday, people are encouraged to wear blue to celebrate Men's Health Week. Don't forget to snap a photo for social media, if you do. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
