Sen. Tammy Baldwin talks about late mother’s opioid addiction

Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is running for re-election this year in Wisconsin, opened up Tuesday about her mother's mental illness and prescription drug addiction, in a moment of candor Baldwin hoped would empower others with similar experiences to come forward. "This epidemic hits close to home for me and for so many others," Baldwin said, sitting across the table from a Milwaukee woman who also told her story of her father's struggles with addiction.

FEMA and Whole Community Participate in National Level Exercise 2018

Today through May 11, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be engaged in the National Level Exercise 2018. This event brings together more than 250 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments, private industry, and non-governmental and community organizations to test their emergency response to a simulated major incident.

Coal Ash Ponds Put our Waterways at Risk

Toxic ponds filled with billions of gallons of waste from coal plants across the United States pose a threat to hundreds of rivers and lakes, and millions of Americans who live near them. As the public comment period closes on the Trump administration's proposal to weaken current rules protecting waterways, Accidents Waiting to Happen: Coal Ash Ponds Put Our Waterways at Risk , a new report from Environment America Research & Policy Center, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group, documents the toxic pollution threats from these poorly-regulated waste pits.

Homes are seen burning in light of the Kilauea eruption.

The announcement came Thursday and frees up federal aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for residents whose homes have been lost or damaged in light of the ongoing eruption. Residents whose primary homes were destroyed or whose homes are inaccessible due to the lava flow, should register at the newly established FEMA Disaster Relief Center for possible assistance.

Surgeon General wants overdose antidote widely on hand. Is that feasible?

When Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued an advisory calling for more people to carry naloxone - not just people at overdose risk, but also friends and family - experts and advocates were almost giddy. This is an "unequivocally positive" step forward, said Leo Beletsky, an associate professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University.

Puerto Rico still restoring power

Puerto Rico's power company said Thursday that it has restored electricity to all customers affected by an island-wide blackout that was caused by an excavator hitting a transmission line, but tens of thousands of families still remain without normal service seven months after hurricanes Maria and Irma. Officials said that power had been restored to more than 1.4 million of its clients after Wednesday's blackout.

Nation’s top doc wants the overdose antidote widely on hand. Is that feasible?

When Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued an advisory calling for more people to carry naloxone - not just people at overdose risk, but also friends and family - experts and advocates were almost giddy. This is an "unequivocally positive" step forward, said Leo Beletsky, an associate professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University.

Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy profiting from government opioid funding: Report

Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy has made major profits off of the federal government's response to the opioid crisis, Politico reported Wednesday. Mr. Kennedy, Rhode Island Democrat, has had his own battle with both addiction and mental illness and sits on the board of eight companies currently working with the Trump administration and Congress to combat the opioid epidemic.

Power largely restored across Puerto Rico after blackoutabout 1 hour ago

Puerto Rico's power company said Thursday that it has restored electricity to more than 80 percent of customers affected by an island-wide blackout that was caused by an excavator hitting a transmission line, but tens of thousands of families still remain without normal service seven months after hurricanes Maria and Irma. Officials said that power had been restored to more than 1.1 million of its clients following Wednesday's blackout, and that they expected to restore power to the remaining 326,000 customers by noon.

Feds: Increase medication-based treatment for opioids

Deep within President Donald Trump's plan to combat opioid abuse, overshadowed by his call for the death penalty for some drug traffickers, is a push to expand the use of medication to treat addiction. It's a rare instance in which Trump isn't trying roll back Obama administration policies, and where fractious Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together.