Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Groups Demand Info About Potential Radioactive Hazards After Fire At Federal Lab In South Carolina
AP: Nuclear Watchdogs Raise Alarms About Fire At South Carolina Lab
Nuclear watchdog groups on Thursday demanded a thorough accounting of a fire at a national lab in South Carolina, noting the surrounding site contains nuclear material and U.S. officials are ramping up efforts to build a core nuclear weapon component there. The U.S. Department of Energy said the fire at the Savannah River National Laboratory on Wednesday did not release any radiological material or expose employees to radiological contamination. There is no risk to the public or the environment, the agency added in a brief email statement on Thursday. (Thanawala, 10/29)
More health news from across the U.S. —
MedPage Today: Alabama's Frozen Embryo Ruling Didn't Change Disposal Choices, For The Most Part
Following the 2024 Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos could be considered children in the state, most patients at a clinic in neighboring Georgia didn't make different disposition choices about their frozen embryos than before the ruling, with the exception of one group. (Robertson, 10/29)
The New York Times: 8 Accused Of Stealing Millions In Food Stamp Benefits From New Yorkers
Eight people were indicted in Manhattan on Thursday, accused of stealing more than $7 million in food stamp benefits from thousands of low-income New Yorkers and spending the money on luxury vehicles, while also sending tens of thousands of dollars abroad, including to Yemen. (Freeman and Meko, 10/29)
Bloomberg Law: Domestic Violence Victims Called 911. They Were Sent To Jail.
On a perfect June day, Rebecca Varney wore a flowy dress to Colorado’s Garden of the Gods to marry a man who’d charmed her fast. The intimate ceremony among the park’s towering red rocks made her feel small and safe. Three months later, in their home, her new husband shook her face in his hands and said, “I could f—ing kill you” after an argument that started when he couldn’t find his shoes, according to claims she made in a 2020 police report. (Mays, 10/29)
MPR News: Fatal Meth And Cocaine Overdoses Up In Minnesota. Opioid Overdoses Drop
Opioid overdose deaths declined in Minnesota for the third consecutive year in 2025, according to new data from the Minnesota Department of Health. However, overall drug overdose deaths increased, largely due to a rise in fatalities associated with stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine. (Zurek, 10/29)
The New York Times: The New DNA Technology That Linked Ted Bundy To A 52-Year-Old Cold Case
Recent advances in forensic science, including a powerful computer program able to reconstruct degraded DNA, allowed law enforcement officials in Utah this week to close a 52-year-old cold case and attribute the 1974 murder of a teenage girl to Ted Bundy, the serial killer. Scientists at the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services linked Mr. Bundy, one of the nation’s most prolific and notorious spree killers, to the 1974 murder of Melissa Ann Smith. It was the second decades-old murder in the state attributed to Mr. Bundy this year. In April, investigators in Utah County determined that he had also murdered Laura Ann Aime. Both were 17. (Nazaryan, 10/29)
On the spread of flu and screwworm —
NBC News: 6 People Have Died From Flu In Connecticut In 1 Month As Cases Rise Nationwide
The state of Connecticut has already recorded its first flu-related deaths in a flu season that’s hit earlier than is typical. Six people have died since the week ending in Sept. 26, according to new data from the Connecticut Department of Public Health. (Jacoby, 10/29)
CIDRAP: New World Screwworm Spreads To Arizona And Is Found In A Cat In New Mexico
Arizona has reported its first detection of New World screwworm (NWS). The detection is one of five new NWS cases confirmed in the past few days by the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), all in pets. Four of the NWS infestations are in dogs in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, and the other is in a domestic cat in New Mexico—the first case detected in a cat. (Dall, 10/29)
