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A pharmacist’s thoughts on Florida suing CVS, Walgreens
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalWe are struggling as a nation to manage the devastating impact of drug diversion, abuse, addiction, and overdose deaths. Florida has taken a unique approach to deal with the crisis: sue the pharmacy. As a pharmacist I want nothing more than to see us reduce the nonmedical use of opioids and to get help to those patients who find themselves locked into a pattern of addiction and abuse. That being said, I respectfully believe that suing pharmacies, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, is an inappropriate and unhelpful response.
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How can micro-credentials be used to support teacher training?
Brian Stack EducationEarlier this year, the organization iNACOL released its latest map, charting the rise of policies that support K-12 competency-based education systems in states from coast to coast. By last count, 17 states have earned the status of "advanced," another 13 have reached the "developing" status. Another 18 have entered the "emerging" status. This leaves just two states (Wyoming and California) that have not yet begun their journeys. Competency education operates under the notion that curriculum, instruction, assessment, grading, and reporting are focused on the transfer of skills in and across content areas.
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Confronting religious bias with education
Sheilamary Koch EducationHate-spurred tragedies like the recent Pittsburgh synagogue massacre make religion-related aggression in the U.S. difficult to deny. However, the increase in the subtler harassment children face at school based on the religion their families practice can more easily slip below the radar. Anti-Semitic incidents in schools jumped a staggering 94 percent in 2017 — with 457 incidents reported by the Anti-Defamation League — making K-12 schools the place where the most such incidents occurred last year.
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Veteran-turned-farmer gives back to Wisconsin vets
Miranda Y. Brumbaugh Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityAs Thanksgiving meals are planned and groceries are purchased, it can be easy to forget about those military veterans without food or a home. These veterans are the ones who struggle with transitioning from war zones or military hospitals to suburbia and a civilian career. One veteran has been there and wants to help others survive this transition by providing a harvest of help. Meet Jake VandenPlas, a military veteran and the co-owner of Door County Farm in Wisconsin.
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Uncertainty reigns in latest Brexit developments
Seth Sandronsky Civil & GovernmentHeavy is the task for British Prime Minister Theresa May of the Conservative Party. She is trying to helm Brexit, a June 23, 2016, referendum that voters approved for the U.K. to exit the 28-member European Union, an economic and political partnership. "The draft was the best that could be negotiated," May said of the brokered exit agreement draft struck with the EU. Dissidents disagreed with her assessment of the draft, which is hundreds of pages long, including many in her own party.
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Amazon announces controversial HQ2 locations
Michelle R. Matisons Science & TechnologyWhen Amazon announced that it was searching for a new second headquarters location, speculation began to swirl as hundreds of cities competed. Finally, on Nov. 13, the company announced it will be splitting HQ2 between two locations: Arlington, Virginia; and Long Island City in Queens, New York. It will also build an "Operations Center of Excellence" in Nashville that will provide 5,000 jobs. Immediately after the announcement, debates kicked into motion about the tax breaks given to Amazon and how HQ2 will affect the communities chosen.
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Southeast Asia neighbors battle over street food
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageSingapore and Malaysia’s fight over street food highlights an interesting development in the history of food. It shows how this once-disparaged form of cuisine has become popular for newer generations. Singapore is known for its street food; it has been called a foodie city for ages. It did not come as a surprise to many that the city-state made a bid for a UNESCO cultural heritage listing. But immediate neighbor Malaysia did not appreciate the move.
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Environmental issues heat up as court ruling halts Keystone XL pipeline
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalEvidence of environmental devastation looms in many places. However, one development that recently went the other direction regards the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. This 1,200-mile pipeline was slated to bring oil from Alberta to the Gulf Coast by TransCanada Corp. The latest development saw U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris of Montana rule against the pipeline, claiming that a full environmental impact review was not completed for the project, and that the issue of climate change was not fully considered.
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Wildfires in Northern and Southern California claim 31 lives so far
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalParadise, California, north of Sacramento, is a town of 27,000 people that has been all but wiped out as both Northern and Southern California burn up in another round of deadly fires. So far, 29 lives have been lost in the northern part of the state, where the Camp fire has burned up 6,700 structures. In Southern California, the Woolsley and Hill fires have caused a mass evacuation of 250,000 people, leaving two dead and more missing. When residents fled their homes, they encountered serious problems as clogged roads made evacuation difficult.
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Travel2020: Can you take it on a plane? Surprising things TSA will allow
Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementSnakes on a plane? Probably not on your plane but you might be surprised about what is traveling with you as you surmise the surfeit of sleeping passengers, kids focused on video games, couples looking out the window and others loading up to watch a downloaded film or two. Lobsters, lizards, soups, spices, maybe a car engine, camp stove, coffee maker or waffle iron … there are a lot of things that can travel on a plane these days, according to TSA.
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