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West Virginia 'Drug Czar' Retires

Before he became the state's "drug czar," Johnson had been director of the Huntington (W.Va.) Mayor's Office of Drug Control Policy and previously had served as police chief and officer for the city of Huntington for more than 40 years.

NTSB Meeting This Week on 2016 O'Hare Incident

The Associated Press reported last July that NTSB determined a high-pressure turbine disk in the right engine broke into four pieces, which shot out of the engine's housing, and that the board has identified at least three previous uncontained engine failures in commercial airliners in which a disk from the same family of GE engines failed.

Florida Troopers Issued Opioid Overdose Antidote for Patrols

The Narcan units will help FHP troopers when they encounter an overdose situation while on patrol and also help protect first responders who may be accidentally exposed and overcome by the effects of dangerous opioids.



CDC Study Finds Highest Adult Asthma Deaths in Construction, Health Care

The annual number of asthma deaths among persons ages 15 to 64 declined significantly from 1999 to 2016, "most likely reflecting improvements in asthma management and effectiveness of prevention efforts," the authors find.

Canada Planning Regs to Lower Sodium in Processed Foods

Health Canada announced it will conduct an in-depth analysis of each category and will meet with industry stakeholders and scientific experts to better understand the challenges encountered in reducing sodium.

More Than $240,000 Awarded to Ohio Communities for Boating Safety Education

More than $240,000 in funding from Ohio's Waterways Safety Fund is being provided to support 10 community boating safety education programs this year, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

A Joint Chemical Agent Detector equipped with a threshold confidence checker in black, on top, is shown in this NIST photo by Jason Stoughton.

New Device Tests DoD Chemical Detectors

NIST's Threshold Confidence Checker weighs only a few grams. It can be slid onto the top of a JCAD in order to get an exact measurement of the device’s sensing capabilities.

NY Mayor Signs Construction Noise Measure

"By lowering the allowable after-hours noise limit in residential areas, allowing inspectors to take noise readings from the street rather than from inside an apartment, and empowering inspectors with the ability to issue a stop work order for noisy equipment, this legislation should help bring some much-needed relief to New Yorkers," said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza.

The recommendation is based on a systematic review of all available studies that was conducted by scientists and subject matter experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

National Academies Report Endorses Lower BAC, Higher Alcohol Taxes

"The plateauing fatality rates indicate that what has been done to decrease deaths from alcohol-impaired driving has been working but is no longer sufficient to reverse this growing public health problem," Committee Chair Steven Teutsch said. "Our report offers a comprehensive blueprint to reinvigorate commitment and calls for systematic implementation of policies, programs, and systems changes to renew progress and save lives."

BSEE Increases Maximum Civil Penalty Amounts for OCS Lands Act Violations

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement announced Wednesday that the maximum civil penalty rate for violations will increase from $42,704 to $43,576 a day for each violation.

2018 Wildfire Mitigation Award Winners Announced

Sponsored by the National Association of State Foresters, International Association of Fire Chiefs, NFPA, and the U.S. Forest Service, the awards are the highest commendation for innovation and leadership displayed by individuals and organizations committed to wildfire mitigation.

NY State Opens Tenth Emergency Stockpile

The 35,000-square-foot facility is equipped with 26 light towers, 138 pumps and hoses, more than 100,000 sandbags, a sand bagger, 700 cots, more than 1,000 blankets and an equal number of pillows, 88 generators, more than 500 flashlights, and 36,000 cans of water.

Negligent Homicide Charges Possible in Two Navy Collisions

One ship collided June 17, 2017, with a merchant vessel about 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan, and the other was involved in an Aug. 21, 2017, collision with a merchant vessel east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

Maryland Smoke Alarm Law Now in Effect

Residents must replace any smoke alarm operated only by battery that is more than 10 years old with a unit powered by a 10-year, sealed-in battery having a "Hush" button feature. The requirement affects more than 800,000 homes statewide.

USDA Investing in Wildfire Mitigation and Water Quality Projects

The agency will invest nearly $32 million in 2018 to mitigate wildfire risk, improve water quality, and restore health forest ecosystems in 24 states and Puerto Rico.

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