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Colorado business dealing with repeated flooding, suspects nearby construction could be factor
A downtown Evergreen business is preparing for another round of rain after repeated flooding forced it to close and caused tens of thousands of dollars in losses.
DNA database of UK dogs could help police collar criminals
Experts working on database that could identify particular breeds involved in crimes, or rule out canine suspects
Science behind sobriety field tests
Albany High students in Elizabeth Lopatniuk's health classes participated in a dynamic lesson about the effects of alcohol on the body. After taking an in-depth look at the science behind why and how alcohol slows the activities of the brain and central nervous system, students learned about how a variety of factors can impact the level of intoxication and how blood alcohol concentration can impair one's ability to operate a motor vehicle. Albany High Student Resource Officer Nick Schuler led students through an overview of field sobriety tests that are routinely performed during a traffic stop when an officer suspects a driver may be under the influence of alcohol. Officer Schuler explained the three elements of a physical sobriety test, including walking a straight line with turns and checks for motor skill patterns, standing on one foot to check for balance and following a moving stimulus with eyes only to check for Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), an involuntary, rhythmic jerking of the eyes as they look to the side. Students volunteered to try walking a straight line both with and without alcohol impairment simulation goggles. Officer Schuler pointed out particular behaviors and patterns that would lead to a failed field sobriety test during the simulation. As prom and graduation festivities approach, we applaud our Albany High staff for empowering our Falcons with valuable lessons so they can make wise and safe choices.
Man who the diarrhea parasite cyclospora after lunch shares symptoms, advice
A man in New York City contracted the diarrhea parasite cyclospora, and suspects a lunch bowl with chopped lettuce was the cause.
Man beaten to death outside Las Vegas business, two suspects at large
Authorities say they are looking for two people who beat a man to death outside a Las Vegas business on Thursday.
In 2024, scientists dyed Peter Lake blue with Aquashade to starve algae of light, but the water still turned green, and the team suspects repeated rain kept flushing the pigment out.
In summer 2024, Cascade Project researchers dyed Michigan's Peter Lake blue with Aquashade to limit light for algae, then added fertiliser; the lake still greened, and the team suspects rain flushed the pigment.
Kylie Jenner Stars in Hulu’s 'Bachelorette Weekend'
The reality star takes on her first major scripted role as a bride whose closest friends become suspects after a deadly getaway.
Alameda police make arrests after business break-ins
Alameda police say several suspects have been arrested in connection with a string of commercial burglaries.
OpenAI suspects China-linked campaign tried to sway data center debate
OpenAI said the effort "sought to exploit and amplify existing public concerns about energy prices and local impacts of data center development."
Grady County deputies stop robbery at marijuana business, suspects flee
Grady County deputies, Chickasha police, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol stopped a robbery at a marijuana business, leading to a pursuit and arrests, while some suspects remain at large.
San Jose Police Arrest 3 Adults and 5 Teens in Connection with Fatal Shooting near World Cup Entertainment Zone
Six of the suspects, including a 17-year-old juvenile, were charged with murder, while two others, including an 18-year-old female, were arrested for being accessories after the fact. All are from San Jose.
Police in Colorado arrest 2 burglary suspects accused of targeting Hispanic businesses
Two charged with stealing appliances from Wilkes-Barre Township business
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Two men from New York City were apprehended by Wilkes-Barre Township police burglarizing a business and stealing appliances early Monday morning.
5 suspects sought after sex assault, robbery at Spring Garden business
Philadelphia police say the suspects sexually assaulted women inside at gunpoint.
Burglary suspects smash car into Broomfield business, steal vapes worth $5,000
Two Baltimore men charged in Howard County armed robberies that targeted business owners
Howard County police charged two suspects in connection with three armed robberies that took place in June. The targets of these robberies were the homes of loc
Two wanted after Richmond business robbed at gunpoint
Two suspects are wanted for armed robbery after police say they stole from a Richmond business in mid-August.
Lindy’s Diner wall collapses days after city shut business down due to safety concerns
Northeast exterior wall at Lindy’s Diner site falls days after city closure; owner suspects it “wasn’t a natural collapse.”
Californian pair indicted for operating darknet drug trafficking business in U.S. and South Florida
Two suspects from California accused of running a darknet drug trafficking business throughout the U.S. and in Miami-Dade and Broward counties were indicted on Wednesday, authorities said.
Authorities seek suspects after break-in, theft at Arden business
Authorities are investigating after several items were stolen in a breaking and entering incident at a business in Arden.
2 fatally shot while leaving business on Chicago's South Side, police say
Three suspects opened fire on two people as they left a business Monday evening on Chicago's South Side, killing both victims, authorities said.
MPD: Wilmer Man arrested in attempted wiring theft at Mobile business
A 49-year-old man was arrested Tuesday night after officers caught suspects trespassing at a Montlimar Drive business, according to the Mobile Police Department.
Lindy’s Diner wall collapses days after city shut business down due to safety concerns
Northeast exterior wall at Lindy’s Diner site falls days after city closure; owner suspects it “wasn’t a natural collapse.”
Lincoln Crime Stoppers seek tips on trailer theft, groping at massage business
Lincoln Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying suspects in two separate cases.
5 minors hurt after shooting at Westgate Entertainment District, police say
No suspect or suspects have been caught, police said.
One arrested, another cited in shoplifting incident at business on East Avenue in Chico
CHICO, Calif. - A Paradise man was arrested and a Forbestown woman was cited by Chico Police in connection to a shoplifting incident at a business in Chico.The Chico Police Department says that at around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, a loss prevention employee observed two suspects stealing several items from a retail business on the 700 block of East Avenue in Chico.Upon exiting the building, the two suspects, a man and a woman, were contacted by the loss prevention employee regarding the stolen items. The employee was able to persuade both suspects to return to the store and hand over the items they had stolen.Authorities say the business expressed their desire to press charges against the suspects and contacted Chico Police to report the crime.Officers reviewed video surveillance that confirmed the employee's account of what happened. Officers then made arraignment for both suspects to turn themselves in the following day.When the suspects, identified as 51-year-old Jamie Leal of Forbestown and 62-year-old Melvin Royal of Paradise, arrived the next day to turn themselves in, authorities say both admitted to their involvement in the incident and elected to write handwritten apology letters to the business.Leal was cited by Chico Police on a misdemeanor charge of shoplifting.Royal was taken into custody and transported to the Butte County Jail, where he was booked on the following charges:Shoplifting with 2+ priors (felony)Shoplifting (misdemeanor) googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1514992'); });
'Scary Movie' tops box office, slaying 'Masters of the Universe' and adding to low-budget streak
The summer box office is booming — but not because of the usual suspects.
Authorities seek suspects after break-in, theft at Arden business
Authorities are investigating after several items were stolen in a breaking and entering incident at a business in Arden.
Chicago police issue alert about sting of overnight business burglaries on North, West Sides
In each incident, four unknown suspects arrived at a business, targeting cash registers, cash in gaming machines and store merchandise for theft, police said.
35 dogs seized from Las Vegas business after alleged animal cruelty
Two suspects were arrested and 35 dogs were seized as part of an animal cruelty investigation in Las Vegas, according to police.Police say John Johnstone, 38, a
Multiple people shot at Glendale's Westgate Entertainment District: PD
Police say multiple people were shot on July 4 at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, and no suspects are in custody.
Rapper Offset shot in Florida. The latest on his condition
Rapper Offset was shot outside a Florida casino; two suspects are detained.
A Business Case For Looking Beyond The Usual Suspects Of Content Creators
Social Setting founder Christina Westley delivers under-the-radar content creators with quantifiable ROI to CMOs tired of overpaying for reach that doesn’t convert.
Thieves take more than $100K worth of equipment at bizarre business break-in, HPD says
Houston police say they are searching for suspects after a group of thieves broke into a construction services company overnight and made off with multiple pieces of heavy equipment.
Alleged burglars caught inside Colorado Springs business overnight: Police
Two suspects were arrested after police say they were caught red-handed inside a Colorado Springs business overnight.
No arrests following fatal triple shooting near Federal Hill entertainment district
Married L.A. County couple charged with operating large-scale sex services business
A married couple in Los Angeles County was arrested and charged with allegedly owning and operating a large-scale online sex services business. The suspects were identified as Kebin Dong, 38, and W…
Despite court wins, California election war with Trump rages on
L.A. County says it has received federal grand jury subpoenas demanding voter registration information on dozens of individuals the Trump administration suspects may not be U.S. citizens.
Trial date set for suspects in Kansas City sports reporter’s death
A trial date has been set for the three suspects in connection to a Kansas City sports reporter's death.
VIDEO: Pair steals multiple TVs from northeast Memphis business: MPD
The above video is courtesy of the Memphis Police Department. MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two suspects are at large after a northeast Memphis equipment rental facility was burglarized Sunday, police say…
Lincoln Crime Stoppers seek tips on trailer theft, groping at massage business
LCS is asking for the public’s help identifying suspects in two separate cases — a trailer theft and a sexual offense at a south Lincoln massage business.
Police searching for 3 suspects following reported robbery at Colorado Springs business
Colorado Springs police are searching for three suspects following a reported robbery in the Rockrimmon area on Monday night.
FBI adds 2 fugitives to 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' list amid historic $6.5B healthcare takedown: Patel
FBI adds Khalid Ahmed Satary and Emylee Thai to Most Wanted Fraudsters list as historic healthcare fraud crackdown charges 455 suspects for $6.5B.
Involuntary commitment bill targeting mental health, crime passes NC House
A bill that's part of the state legislature's efforts to ramp up the number of criminal suspects involuntarily committed to mental hospitals passed, despite criticism that it proposes few immediate solutions.
Person robbed at gunpoint outside Dracut business
Dracut police say two suspects in black robbed a man at gunpoint, then fled in a silver Ford Explorer, which was later found. No arrests announced.
Business owners offer rewards to those with information on Bissell Street shooting
South Bend Police are still looking for the suspect or suspects in the Bissell Street shooting from two weeks ago that killed three.The community is coming toge
Burglary suspects facing felony charges after robbing Mount Morris business
Two people are facing felony charges after a burglary in Livingston County on Dec. 23.
Curing U.S. Health Care, Part I
In 2008, much to their own surprise, leading Democrats unified around a program of major health care reform. Policy wonks had spent years developing the concepts behind what eventually became Obamacare; big Democratic victories in the 2006 midterms and the prospect of controlling both Congress and the presidency made it possible to imagine turning those ideas into reality. During the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama advocated similar plans, based on those ideas, for expanding insurance coverage. And it happened! The Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010. When it was fully implemented in 2014, millions of Americans got health insurance: Impressive as the raw numbers are, they don’t tell the whole story. Before the ACA, even upper-middle-class Americans often found it impossible to get health insurance if they had pre-existing medical conditions. Many Americans were trapped in jobs they wanted to leave but couldn’t for fear of losing their employment-based coverage. Meanwhile, dire predictions from the usual suspects about runaway costs proved wrong. In fact, overall U.S. medical spending has grown much more slowly since the ACA was enacted than before. But the U.S., alone among advanced nations, still falls far short of providing universal health care. As you can see from the chart above, 8 percent of the population was still uninsured in 2024, a number that is set to rise over the next two years as a result of Republican policies. True, many of the uninsured in 2024 were undocumented immigrants, who we don’t try to cover. But there are still a lot of uninsured. Moreover, a significant number of Americans who have health insurance are in fact underinsured. As a result, they are at risk of incurring devastating healthcare costs and are sometimes forced to forgo needed care. This number is set to rise sharply in the next two years as a result of Republican policies adopted under Donald Trump. And not only is the U.S. unique among advanced countries in its under-provision of health care coverage, it also incurs by far the world’s highest healthcare costs per capita. So now may well be a good time to get behind a new push for major health reform — an effort, if you like, to finish the job begun under Obama. Today’s primer is devoted to the economics of health reform. During his failed effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Donald Trump famously complained, “Nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated.” Actually, we did know — and it’s not that complicated. Health economists understand the principles very well. And because health policy varies greatly among advanced nations, we know a lot about what works and what doesn’t. This will be the first in a series about health reform. Beyond the paywall I’ll address the following: 1. Why markets can’t be trusted to deliver healthcare 2. Routes to universal healthcare 3. What works? In a follow-up post I’ll discuss the pros and cons of different approaches, and possible paths forward for the United States.
Shotgun-wielding duo robs South Side business as it closes; cops hunting suspects
Police are searching for two men after a robbery at a business on the South Side.
Shotgun-wielding duo robs South Side business as it closes; cops hunting suspects
Police are searching for two men after a robbery at a business on the South Side.
2 men charged after robbing Davie County business at gunpoint, deputies say
Investigators obtained surveillance video that authorities said showed two masked suspects armed with pistols entering the business and forcing people back inside.
Ebola, chemical plants and health, hantavirus, common colds, heat and more
As they say, bugs have ears. Public health has had a relentless May. Chemical plant (near) explosions, Ebola, hantavirus, and that's before you even get to the usual suspects: common colds, heat, and ticks. Here’s an attempt to keep you up to speed and, more importantly, what it means for you and your community. But first, an announcement: World Cup The World Cup starts in 15 days (not like anyone is counting down), and we are hanging TVs in the Health Security Operations Center. It’s going to be a gorgeous, chaotic celebration of basically every culture on earth. And it’s going to take a team effort—from communities to individuals, from public health to health care—to keep people healthy. That’s where you come in. If you’re going to the games or live within 30 miles of a stadium, we would love to hear from you. Sign up for a weekly survey here. Thanks to the more than 1,280 people who have already signed up…you will be hearing from us soon!! Global disease “weather report” Hantavirus: Two more cases The global count of cruise ship passengers with hantavirus has now increased to 13 cases (11 confirmed), with three deaths. The two new cases are overseas and among people who were already quarantining: A crew member in the Netherlands. A Spanish national passenger who was quarantining at home tested positive through daily monitoring. They are now in a biocontainment unit. In the U.S., everyone remains negative. There may be more cases, given that the incubation period of hantavirus (the time from exposure to infection) is 45 days. But this week, we will reach a major milestone: the median incubation window is 18 days, and that will pass on May 29. What this means for you: Your risk from this cruise ship outbreak remains essentially nil at this point. Ebola rages on in Central Africa Big thanks to Dr. Craig Spencer, a humanitarian physician who has treated and survived Ebola, for jumping in to provide the YLE community with an update. Craig, take it from here… The combined confirmed and suspected Ebola cases in DRC are now more than 1,000. All signs are pointing to a very long and catastrophic outbreak in Central Africa: This is a vast undercount. We know this because the test positivity rate is hovering around 50%, only 20% of contacts are being traced (and in some areas, no contacts at all), and more cases keep popping up with no known connection. This all points to widespread and undetected community transmission. This is in only a week of detection. Compared to previous outbreaks, the growth is very fast, as the huge West Africa outbreak in 2016 was first detected at 49 cases and rose to 208 cases a month later. It took four months for that outbreak to reach the size of the current one in the DR Congo. The cases are spread out across 16 health zones. There are now multiple epicenters, making containment very difficult. Next door in Uganda, the case count is seven. While this number is low compared to DRC, a concerning development is that two health care workers recently tested positive with uncertain exposure histories. If they weren’t treating known Ebola cases, this means it’s spreading undetected in Uganda as well. On the ground, backlash, including the burning of health centers, has emerged, a pattern seen in nearly every outbreak and rooted in deep community distrust. It often stems from outside actors working in communities without fully understanding or addressing local priorities. Affected populations may recognize the severity of Ebola while still holding other concerns as more pressing, such as where their loved ones are buried. Community trust is essential to an effective response, but difficult to build during an active emergency. It is best established long before a crisis begins. U.S. priorities are made clear, and may backfire. The U.S. Administration has shown that its first priority is keeping Ebola out, with helping end the outbreak in the DRC a secondary concern. That's meant travel restrictions broader than anything we've imposed before — covering travelers from across the region, and reportedly some green card holders and permanent residents as well. For example, just these past two days, news broke that high-risk American travelers will be subject to a mandatory quarantine in Kenya before they are allowed to return. If an American is infected, the U.S. government plans to send them to a hospital it is standing up from scratch in Kenya. (Currently, Americans who were in the area are allowed to return but are diverted to three airports—Houston, Atlanta, and DC—for further screening.) Past administrations have used travel notices and stepped-up screening; this goes much further. At first blush, these strict precautions may sound prudent. But this approach could backfire in three ways: Restrictions this blunt give people every reason to hide where they’ve been and whom they’ve been near — making the people we most need to find harder to track, not easier. They also breed a false sense that this is someone else’s problem. But diseases are humbling. They find the small cracks in even the most impenetrable-seeming defenses. Lives lost. There is no treatment for this Ebola strain, which means survival depends heavily on the quality of the health system. We have that system in the States, but we are choosing not to use it for infected Americans. This is unbelievable and infuriating. (See a deeper dive from me here.) The only real way to lower the risk to Americans — and everyone else — is to end the outbreak in the DRC and across the region. What this means for you: If you have travel plans to this region, it’s time to cancel them. This is a high-risk situation in Central Africa, and CDC released a Level 4 Travel Advisory. There is also great uncertainty if and when the Administration will let you back in. To the general public in the U.S., your risk remains very, very low right now. U.S. disease “weather report” Ticks: past peak season? Good news, especially for people in the Northeast and Midwest: tick numbers continue to decline. Though we are at the peak of the season, this unusually early year is trending favorably. Heat-related illnesses in the North Heat risk is certainly not blanketing the entire country yet, but this week it will be moderate in the Midwest and the Southeast. What this means for you: Be sure to check the CDC HeatRisk tool. A red day isn’t the best day for that soccer game for a kid with asthma, and a stretch of orange days is a great time to check on your elderly neighbor. Common colds surging As far as respiratory viruses go, the only thing really going around right now is the common cold. It is higher this year than last year, but should peak very soon before returning this fall. Spotlight: Chemical plants Over the weekend, YLE California covered the serious situation that unfolded around a chemical plant in Orange County, California. Thankfully, the worst-case scenario (a chemical explosion) was mitigated, but only through luck. The health implications in a densely populated area could have been catastrophic. As the situation was winding down, another chemical explosion struck Washington State. This one was fatal. Health officials say the risk to surrounding residents from chemicals in the air and ground remains low, though the community deserves far greater clarity. Clean air and clean water consistently rank as Americans’ top public health concerns — yet when chemical disasters strike, communities are too often met with reassurances rather than transparency and accountability. Residents near the 2023 East Palestine, Ohio train derailment, for example, are still waiting to understand the long-term impact on their health, with few clear answers. What this means for you: Many are wondering if facilities processing potentially dangerous materials are in their neighborhoods. This interactive map allows you to enter your ZIP code and see all facilities monitored by the EPA, including any violations. Good news Ebola vaccines and treatment for the Bundibugyo species are in development. Two vaccine platforms are being explored, at least one of which may be deployable in as little as 2 months. One vaccine is being developed by Oxford, and the other uses the same biotechnology as the FDA-approved Zaire species of Ebola. (It may provide cross-protection, but it’s unclear at this point.) On the treatment side, two promising monoclonal antibody cocktails are likely to be deployed, though doses are limited and logistical hurdles remain significant challenges. Anni over at The Biotech Tea had a great explainer about the Ebola vaccine gap, if you want to read more. [ The Biotech Tea The Ebola vaccine gap, reading vessel damage, & the Makary exit 🗝️ Paid subscribers get the Biotech Term of the Week at $30/year (~$2.50/month). I try to keep it intentionally accessible, but if cost is ever a barrier, send me a message. A few people asked about expensing your subscription, so I put together a short email template… Read more 6 days ago · 10 likes · Annicka Evans, PhD ](https://www.thebiotechtea.com/p/the-ebola-vaccine-gap-reading-vessel?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been officially renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), following more than a decade of debate and input from roughly 22,000 clinicians, researchers, and patients worldwide. This is good because the old name was medically misleading, leading to patients without visible cysts being dismissed or overlooked entirely. The WHO estimates that 70% of people with the condition remain undiagnosed. A more accurate name should improve recognition, reduce stigma, and ultimately help the millions of people living with this condition get diagnosed and treated sooner. Poll Loading... Bottom line Public health situations are everywhere right now. Staying healthy takes public health professionals and systems working tirelessly behind the scenes and each of us showing up for our neighbors and communities. Love, YLE Big thanks to Ed Nirenberg for staying on top of the Ebola vaccines, Hannah Totte for all the figures, Dr. Craig Spencer for the Ebola insight, and Dr. Matt Willis for covering the chemical situation in CA. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “Translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
Pacific Beach boardwalk-driving suspect ignites mental health diversion debate
San Diego County judges granted mental health diversion in over three hundred felony cases in 2025, and suspects reoffended in more than a quarter of those cases.
'Very unfortunate': Fort Pierce Downtown business owners upgrade security after recent burglaries
Two Downtown Fort Pierce businesses were burglarized early Tuesday morning, prompting police to search for suspects and business owners to upgrade security.
Police chase ends in multiple crashes after business burglarized in OC, authorities say
Officers from multiple police agencies are searching for several robbery suspects after a pursuit involving two cars ended in a crash and several injuries.
40 looters ransack family-run California business during massive street takeover
Surveillance video shows 40 suspects ransacking A-Z Market in Bellflower after power tools were used to breach the security gate during a street takeover.
Car stolen from Dauphin County business later found in York County with both suspects inside, police say
Police said a Subaru Legacy was stolen from a business and later located in York County with both suspects inside.
4 businesses burglarized within 3-block radius in Fairfax District
Several businesses located within a three-block radius in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles were burglarized overnight, prompting a search for suspects.
Six wanted in Memphis business robbery
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police are looking for six suspects in a Southwest Memphis business robbery on Monday. At around 10:15 p.m., officers responded to a business robbery at 4775 Horn Lake Road a…
NEW: Arlington County police investigating series of armed robberies at local businesses
Police are looking for one or two suspects who have been robbing local businesses while armed. The robberies happened around 8 p.m. the past two days, each by a 20-something year-old man wearing dark clothing and a face mask. On both nights, a man brandished a gun and demanded cash at a pair of nearby
Burglary suspects smash car into Colorado business, steal vapes and merchandise worth $5,000
Apple sends fresh wave of mercenary spyware warnings worldwide
Apple has notified users in 110 countries who it suspects may have been targeted by spyware attacks. Here are the details.
‘Scary Movie’ tops box office, slaying ‘Masters of the Universe’ and adding to low-budget streak
The summer box office is booming — but not because of the usual suspects.
Suspects wanted after burglarizing businesses in Northeast DC
D.C. police are asking the public for help identifying suspects who broke into a popular market, stealing hundreds of dollars from three restaurants inside.
Trio behind string of business burglaries caught after chase through Tucker
Police said the suspects threw cash register tills and other stolen items from the vehicle.
Processed meat may be causing rise in bowel cancer
Food safety expert says chemicals in bacon and ham giving them their pink colour are ‘one of the main suspects’
Woman attacked, robbed at gunpoint inside business in Wicker Park, Chicago police say
Chicago police are investigating after a woman was attacked and robbed at gunpoint by multiple suspects while inside of a business Saturday night on the city's Northwest Side.
Dallas police investigate small business break-ins in Bishop Arts District
Dallas police are investigating break-ins at multiple small businesses in the Bishop Arts District after suspects smashed doors and stole cash and items.
Crime Reports: Investigation into ‘deceptive business practice’ conducted at Abilene restaurant
Editor’s Note: The Abilene Police Department supplied the following arrest and incident reports. All information below is based on reports made by responding officers, and all suspects are considered ...
Three arrested after incident at Providence adult entertainment club
Police responded to a reported armed robbery early Sunday morning and arrested suspects following a chase.
The U.S. Healthcare System is Already Mostly Socialized
Now that Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat, the outcome of this crucial race will depend mainly on two things: Whether Republicans succeed in demonizing El-Sayed because he’s brown and a Muslim, and whether they succeed in demonizing him as a left-wing radical. I will defer for the now the question of whether bigotry will be effective this year, although I will address it another day. What I want to address instead is El-Sayed’s signature issue — healthcare. Yes, El-Sayed advocates Medicare for All, a position the usual suspects denounce as “socialism.” I will get to the politics of his stance soon. Today, however, I want to talk about the substance. We should be clear that El-Sayed doesn’t even call himself a socialist. On the contrary, he explicitly disavows the label, saying “I’m a capitalist who just knows about capitalism”. In fact, as I explained in a previous post, the policies that El-Sayed advocates qualify him as a social democrat, not a socialist. Still, El-Sayed advocates a system under which the government would pay almost all medical expenses. Isn’t that socialism? Well, if that is the criterion then much of U.S. healthcare is already socialist. In fact, the government’s role is so large that U.S. healthcare is better described as partially privatized socialism than as anything resembling a free market. Let’s start with the raw numbers on health insurance, which pays the bulk of Americans’ medical expenses. Americans receive health insurance either from private companies or from public programs, overwhelmingly Medicare and Medicaid. Here’s what the breakdown of coverage and spending between private and public looked like in 2024: While a majority of Americans with health insurance get it from private companies, well over 100 million of us are covered by government programs instead. And these government programs pay more total dollars for medical bills than the private insurers do. Why do government programs that cover a minority of the population account for a majority of health insurers’ outlays? Mainly because Medicare covers seniors, and we’re expensive. Also, while Medicaid covers many younger Americans, disabled and elderly beneficiaries account for most of its spending. Even by the raw numbers, then, U.S. health insurance looks as much public as private. But that understates the government’s role: Private health insurance in the U.S. is both highly regulated and heavily subsidized. This is obviously true for the insurance coverage purchased by tens of millions of Americans through the exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act. But employment-based health insurance, which covers 161 million Americans, is far more of a government creation than most people realize. For employment-based insurance exists largely because of huge implicit government subsidies that come with major strings attached. Here’s how that works. If your employer pays you $10,000, that’s taxable income. But if your employer pays $10,000 toward a company health insurance plan that meets certain criteria, it isn’t taxable. That’s a huge effective subsidy, running at more than $300 billion a year. Take that subsidy into account, along with the more than $100 billion per year spent subsidizing policies purchased under the ACA, as well as the outlays on Medicare and Medicaid, and net effect is that the government pays for more than two-thirds of Americans’ health insurance. Granted, there are strings attached. Roughly speaking, employment-based health plans can’t discriminate based on medical history — that is, they can’t deny coverage to employees with pre-existing conditions — and they also can’t offer the plans only to highly compensated employees — a health plan that is only for the C-suite is considered taxable income. So given the restrictions of the federal tax code, employer-based health insurance is a lot like Obamacare, which also prohibits discrimination based on medical history and provides subsidies to make insurance affordable to lower-paid workers. The fact is that virtually all of private healthcare insurance is already well under some form of government control through regulation and tax subsidies. How should we think about this system? First of all, is Medicare socialist? Don’t tell anyone, but the way Medicare operates — it covers every senior’s medical expenses, whatever they turn out to be, while being funded by taxes that depend on one’s income — could be summarized by the old Marxist slogan “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” And back in 1961, when Ronald Reagan was the face of a last-ditch effort by the American Medical Association to block the creation of Medicare, he denounced Medicare as “socialized medicine” and warned that it would destroy our freedom. In reality, American freedom survived until Jan. 20, 2025, while Medicare is immensely popular, with an 82 percent favorable rating in the most recent KFF survey. Medicaid, government health insurance for lower-income Americans, comes in at 73 percent. This is in sharp contrast to public views about private insurers, who are widely disliked if not hated and accused of denying essential care. Furthermore, if Medicare is socialism, then the whole U.S. health insurance system, with the government paying most of the bills and placing conditions on private insurers, is almost equally socialist. If you insist on calling any program the government pays for and regulates socialist, then U.S. healthcare would best be described as a partially privatized form of socialism. And one must ask, what is the point of the part that is privatized? Do private insurers add anything positive? Or are they simply parasites, skimming off money that could have been paying for care? The case for viewing insurers as parasites is strong. Many Medicare benefits are now delivered via Medicare Advantage, that is, plans paid for by the government but run through insurance companies. MedPAC, an independent advisory commission, estimates that last year Medicare Advantage plans were overpaid by $84 billion, thanks to practices such as “upcoding,” in which patients’ health problems are overstated to get larger sums from Medicare. Assessing the waste from employer-based insurance is harder, but most evidence suggests that private insurers have substantially higher administrative costs than Medicare does. Furthermore, the complexity of private insurance, with multiple payers all trying to deny care when they can, is a huge burden both on providers — doctors, nurses, and hospitals — and on patients. What do private insurers offer to compensate for these costs? One must go through intellectual contortions to avoid the conclusion that they are, in fact, parasites. Which brings me back to El-Sayed. In supporting Medicare for All, he’s basically calling for an end to the partial, parasitic privatization of a healthcare system that is already hugely dependent on public funding. When one looks at it that way, it’s not at all a radical proposal. Admittedly, the political lift requires overcoming the opposition to higher taxes to pay for Medicare for All. Political realism rather than economics was the reason I and many other progressives supported Obamacare, with all its complexities, rather than demanding an immediate move to Medicare for All. But the political calculus may very well have shifted since the 2000s, as Americans are fed up with a system of unaffordable premiums, rampant claim denials, and byzantine claim administration. Moreover, funding healthcare insurance through taxation would allow for a much more progressive distribution of the cost. That is, compared to the present system, middle-income households would pay less as high-income households would pay more. And the U.S. would stop wasting large sums on pointless administrative costs. So let’s be clear: El-Sayed’s healthcare platform is perfectly reasonable on the merits of cost, fairness and health efficacy. And with private insurers never more hated, while millions of Americans are losing their health insurance, 2026 may be its time. MUSICAL CODA
Police search for two people accused of breaking into Goldsboro business
Goldsboro police are investigating a breaking and entering at the Eastern Wayne Food Mart in Goldsboro after two people broke into the business Sunday morning. Police are still searching for the two suspects.
NC lawmakers send bills targeting gangs, mental health evaluations to Stein
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed two bills targeting criminal suspects: one would change where they are evaluated for mental illness while the other would give prosecutors stronger tools to crack down on gang activity.
Science behind sobriety field tests
Albany High students in Elizabeth Lopatniuk's health classes participated in a dynamic lesson about the effects of alcohol on the body. After taking an in-depth look at the science behind why and how alcohol slows the activities of the brain and central nervous system, students learned about how a variety of factors can impact the level of intoxication and how blood alcohol concentration can impair one's ability to operate a motor vehicle. Albany High Student Resource Officer Nick Schuler led students through an overview of field sobriety tests that are routinely performed during a traffic stop when an officer suspects a driver may be under the influence of alcohol. Officer Schuler explained the three elements of a physical sobriety test, including walking a straight line with turns and checks for motor skill patterns, standing on one foot to check for balance and following a moving stimulus with eyes only to check for Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), an involuntary, rhythmic jerking of the eyes as they look to the side. Students volunteered to try walking a straight line both with and without alcohol impairment simulation goggles. Officer Schuler pointed out particular behaviors and patterns that would lead to a failed field sobriety test during the simulation. As prom and graduation festivities approach, we applaud our Albany High staff for empowering our Falcons with valuable lessons so they can make wise and safe choices.
1 killed following shooting in Dublin, police say; suspects arrested
Police are investigating a shooting after a person was shot and killed in Dublin this weekend.
Californian criminal suspects can trade prison for psychiatric care. Is it working?
Californians accused of crimes can receive mental health treatment rather than prison time. Lawmakers are revamping the rules following reports of violent offenses.
Queens slashing suspects wanted for attacking man near sports bar in bloody assault
Detectives in Queens are looking for two men behind a violent, bloody slashing near a sports bar last month that left a man seriously wounded.
Chicago-area burglars target gaming machines in businesses: 'They're in and they're out'
Chicago police are searching for a group of suspects caught on camera smashing their way into a South Loop cannabis store early Monday.
2 Pittsburgh business owners charged in EBT fraud scheme
The suspects made more than 800 transactions, involving 450 EBT cards.
Two men fire shot through storefront window during North Side business robbery
SAN ANTONIO — Police are searching for two suspects after a robbery at a local business ended in gunfire.Officers were called around 5 p.m. to the 1300 block o
Police seek suspects accused of stealing alcohol from East Stroudsburg business
Stroud Area Regional Police are asking for the public’s help identifying two suspects accused of stealing alcohol from a business in East Stroudsburg.Police sai
2 arson suspects wanted for setting business on fire in Paramount
Two arson suspects are wanted for setting fire to a business in Paramount. The incident occurred on Feb. 24 as surveillance cameras captured the men targeting a business near the 7900 block of Alon…
Employee shot, killed at Seattle business, police hunt for suspects
A young man is dead after he was shot and killed at his workplace in Seattle's Northgate neighborhood on Saturday.
Deputies: Four suspects wanted after breaking into Pendleton business
The break-in happened on the morning of July 4.
ACPD investigating trio of robberies at Arlington businesses
Arlington County police are looking for suspects in three business robberies reported across the county on Tuesday. In each incident, suspects allegedly took merchandise from a retail store and either used force or made threats against employees, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report. The first happened around 9:30 a.m. on the 4600
Detectives seek suspects in Upstate business break-in
Detectives in Anderson County are trying to identify the people responsible for breaking into a business on July 4.
Mexican Mafia suspects charged with shaking down L.A. County business
The FBI said six people were arrested Wednesday for allegedly extorting money from a business in Pomona and ordering the shooting of a man who owned a debt to gangsters affiliated with the Mexican Mafia.
At least 18 Pleasanton businesses hit in morning burglary spree
Officers pursued the suspects but called off the chase due to safety concerns.
Kansas City police release pictures of suspects involved in shooting near entertainment district
The shooting happened near Westport Road and Central Street, near the post office, on February 8.
Rabies testing concerns prompt investigation from Minnesota health officials
The Minnesota Department of Health is searching for customers of a Twin Cities company that it suspects has not been consistently submitting rabies tests for testing.
Employee killed in shootout with 2 armed suspects at L.A. business
An employee was shot and killed after confronting two armed suspects who entered a business in Los Angeles Thursday evening, authorities said. The shooting occurred around 7:30 p.m. at a business i…
149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database
This “dream wish list for criminals” includes millions of Gmail, Facebook, banking logins, and more. The researcher who discovered it suspects they were collected using infostealing malware.
Bakersfield police seek public’s help identifying suspects in White Lane business burglary
The Bakersfield Police Department is asking for the community’s help in identifying a man and a woman allegedly involved in a burglary investigation.Bakersfield
Suspects smash car into business in Broomfield, steal vapes worth $5,000
McConnell took a photo with that day’s newspaper. The internet suspects AI.
The senator’s attempt to end rumors about his health led to more online speculation about the image.
Search continues for additional suspects in string of Placer County business break-ins
Burglars target 5 businesses in less than 24 hours; authorities track SUV to Sacramento