World Record For Premature Birth Goes To Alabama Baby Born 19 Weeks Early
Curtis Means, now 16 months old, was awarded the Guinness World Record for youngest surviving premature birth, after only 132 days of gestation. Meanwhile, a judge approves a Flint water settlement, medical marijuana in Georgia is delayed and Texas is in the news for its abortion law and the governor's war on "pornography."
The Hill:
Alabama Boy Sets World Record For Most Premature Infant To Survive
Guinness World Records on Wednesday announced that an Alabama boy has set the record for the most premature baby to survive. Curtis Means, who is now 16 months old, was born 132 days — almost 19 weeks — premature on July 5, 2020 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). At birth, he weighed less than a pound (14.8 ounces). The boy had a twin who did not survive the birth, which took place when the mother was 21 weeks and one day pregnant. (Polus, 11/10)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Awards To Six Georgia Medical Marijuana Companies Delayed By Protests
Medical marijuana was supposed to be growing in Georgia for patients by now. Instead, a sluggish process of awarding marijuana licenses to six companies has stalled indefinitely amid protests filed by several losing businesses. (Niesse, 11/10)
In news from Flint —
The Hill:
Judge OKs $626 Million Settlement In Flint Water Crisis
A Michigan judge approved a $626 million settlement for thousands of people in Flint, Mich. whose water was contaminated with lead, describing the agreement as a "remarkable achievement." The settlement will be paid to city residents, with most of the money being given to children who were affected by the contamination, but some also going to the adult population. The vast majority of the settlement will be paid by the state of Michigan. The rest will be paid out by the city of Flint, McLaren hospitals and a company called Rowe Professional Services. (Vakil and Frazin, 11/10)
Reuters:
Federal Judge Approves $626 Million Flint, Michigan Water Settlement
A federal judge on Wednesday approved a settlement worth $626 million for victims of the lead water crisis in Flint, Michigan, in a case brought by tens of thousands of residents affected by the contaminated water. "The settlement reached here is a remarkable achievement for many reasons, not the least of which is that it sets forth a comprehensive compensation program and timeline that is consistent for every qualifying participant," U.S. District Judge Judith Levy said in a 178-page order. Earlier this year, the judge gave preliminary approval to a partial settlement of lawsuits filed by victims of the water crisis against the state. (Clifford and Singh, 11/11)
On covid —
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Students Want COVID Mental Health Help, Reliable Tech
Students in Los Angeles public schools said they have suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed a “non-negotiable” need for academic success: mental wellness. Yet 1 in 3 students of color say they don’t have an adult at school with whom they feel comfortable enough to talk about how they are feeling, according to a survey released Wednesday. The survey of middle school and high school students in the Los Angeles Unified School District drives home their hardships and high-priority needs: access to technology and opportunities for tutoring, extra classes and extracurricular activities. (Blume, 11/10)
AP:
Florida Sheriff Says Department Lost 9 Employees To COVID-19
COVID-19 has had a staggering impact on the sheriff’s department in Broward County, Florida, where Sheriff Gregory Tony told a memorial service for nine employees who died from the virus that well over half the department's 5,600 employees had been exposed and 32% — or 1,800 employees — have contracted the disease. “We didn’t lose one, two, three — we lost nine,” the sheriff said, noting that the first death from the virus came in April 2020. (11/10)
Arizona Republic:
Campaign Aims To Boost COVID-19 Vaccination Rate In Black Community
The Arizona Coalition for Change is launching a new campaign, "Sleeves Up Arizona," that addresses low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Black communities. The organization met on Wednesday at Eastlake Park in Phoenix and featured speakers state Rep. Reginald Bolding and former NBA All-Star and Phoenix Suns player Cedric Ceballos. Ceballos shared his story of battling the virus, spending "20 days on death row" in the intensive care unit. (Hassett and Ankrah, 11/10)
Meanwhile, in Texas —
Los Angeles Times:
Texas Governor Orders Criminal Probe Into 'Pornography' In School Books
Conservative furor over what is taught in public schools reached a fever pitch in Texas on Wednesday, as Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced a criminal inquiry into what he called “pornography” in school libraries, his third directive on the matter this month. “The fact that pornographic material that serves no educational purpose has been made available to students in Texas public schools is a clear violation of the law,” Abbott wrote in a Wednesday letter, directing the Texas Education Agency to “investigate any criminal activity in our public schools involving the availability of pornography” to minors and to refer cases for prosecution. (Hennessy-Fiske, 11/10)
Dallas Morning News:
‘Anybody Can Just File A Lawsuit’: Abortion Rights Groups Challenge New Texas Restrictions
Abortion rights groups urged a state district judge on Wednesday to declare Texas’ new six-week abortion ban unconstitutional, arguing that handing over enforcement to private citizens raises a host of legal problems. The plaintiffs are also asking the court to stop Texas Right to Life from suing them under the new law, known as Senate Bill 8. The anti-abortion group was behind a high-profile tipline that sought to ferret out potential violations, but it has not brought any private-citizen enforcement actions to date. (Morris, 11/10)
