Do you live in the loneliest state in America?
Still, social engagement may not be a cure-all for loneliness. In New York state, more people than anywhere else in the country hang out with and call friends and family at least three times a week, but 44% say they don't consistently receive the emotional support they need — one of the highest rates in the nation. That lack of support, even if you don't spend much time alone, can contribute to lonely feelings.
To better understand how social engagement and emotional support shape loneliness, Yahoo News used data from the Census Household Pulse Survey to visualize the loneliest states. Explore the map and table to see the loneliest states and how social connection contributes to differences.
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Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
We should prevent child abuse before it starts
A child's death is always unspeakably tragic, especially when it's clear that different policies could have prevented their death. It's easy to read about Kemy Washington's short life and heartrending death and become convinced that more intensive monitoring by D.C.'s Child and Family Services Agency would prevent future tragedies like this. Approximately 2,000 children in the United States died from abuse and neglect in fiscal 2023. The nation's child protective services interact with more than 3 million children and their families in any given year. In Washington, D.C. Child and Family Services Agency investigations must verify whether alleged abuse or neglect happened, determine how to prevent it from happening again, and decide whether the child must be removed. How well this works depends on workers' caseloads, community resources and other factors. But the system has two huge shortcomings: (1) It's inherently adversarial, and (2) it can't engage with families until a child has suffered abuse or neglect. There is no 'safe dose' of abuse or neglect; by the time it starts, the risk of adverse, lifelong consequences for the child has increased. A better approach is to prevent abuse and neglect before they start. Maternal home visiting programs pair new mothers with nurses or paraprofessionals who form a long-term relationship with the family. They help the family access services such as housing, mental health and vocational training. They provide emotional support, they teach parenting skills and child development, and in a situation where a parent relapses, like Kemy's mother did, they can spot it promptly and connect them with appropriate help. Every child deserves to grow up. Every parent deserves help. We know how to provide that help, and we know how to prevent stories like Kemy's from happening again. We just need to do it. Melanie Blow, Rochester, New York The Post's July 26 front-page article 'A toddler starved to death in D.C. Why wasn't she saved?' about Kemy Washington was tragic. How can someone whose parent has already been flagged by D.C.'s Child and Family Services Agency, and who has family and friends trying to help, still meet such an end? This heartbreaking outcome is the result of a system that prioritizes individual agency over intervention, despite warnings from Kemy's grandmother and the court-ordered removal of Kemy's sister from home due to neglect. The current approach comes from a place of empathy, treating the removal of a child as a last resort, 'only when families cannot or will not take care of children themselves.' But, we need to acknowledge that the end result of this philosophy can lead to more cases like Washington's. We should give precedence to the ability for family, friends and the city's welfare agencies to compel people into care. Yes, that approach opens the door to possible horrible outcomes where people are hospitalized against their will or children are removed forcibly from unsafe homes. There are trade-offs to both systems, and neither one will avoid tragedies completely. Policymakers, as well as advocates for the homeless, must acknowledge the potential end result of their chosen approach. Robin Halsband, Washington Regarding the July 23 Style article 'Trump moniker may extend to Kennedy Center': We should ask ourselves why Rep. Michael Simpson (R-Idaho) and the House Appropriations Committee concluded the Kennedy Center Opera House should be named after Melania Trump. Simpson claims it's for her support and commitment to promote the arts, but he lacks evidence. The Opera House is a prestigious venue that also hosts the annual Kennedy Center Honors. If anyone should be honored with the Opera House bearing their name, it should be Jacqueline Kennedy, whose vision, dedication and actions were instrumental in establishing the Kennedy Center as a prominent showcase for the arts and a symbol of national pride. After she hosted ballet companies, opera singers, poets, musicians and children's concerts at the White House, Kennedy was a driving force behind establishing the Kennedy Center and played an active role in fundraising efforts. Despite her contributions, no venue at the center was named in her honor. The Kennedy Center itself was named after her husband, the 35th president of the United States. The Opera House should be named after a proven and extraordinary supporter of the arts. Barbara Gentile, McLean As the July 28 Metro article 'Take it with a grain of (road) salt' noted, Consumer Affairs, an online review platform, recently identified D.C. as having the worst traffic in the United States, but with comparatively few fatal crashes. But from what I have seen driving primarily in suburban Maryland, the District might not have the worst drivers. When I drive, I witness drivers running red lights, blowing through stop signs and ignoring right-turn-only lanes. (To those who drive Massachusetts Avenue to the Sangamore Road stoplight and ignore the right-turn-only markings in the right lane, I'm watching you!) I won't go so far as to say that these practices portend the end of civilization as we know it, but they cannot be a good development. John T. Rich, Bethesda Not so long ago, skilled workers used to do something remarkable here in the DMV. For 50 or maybe even 75 years, they paved our roads, repaved them when needed and somehow managed to place manhole covers level with the street. Now, in this age of lasers, digital mapping and artificial intelligence, that once-simple task seems to have become a lost art. Instead, we now have what can only be described as government-sponsored potholes: perfectly misaligned manhole covers, courtesy of our local authorities. Dan Mica, Alexandria I have been to the National Mall a handful of times, and its monuments and magic made me want to return. I am sad to say that I left the park recently and do not wish to go back. A few short steps into the park, a rider speeding on an electric scooter buzzed past me. A mistake, I thought to myself. Surely, people must respect the National Mall and understand how parading on their neon bikes and scooters would be disrespectful. The walking space bordering the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, once filled with listeners to Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech, is now treated as a racetrack. I could not believe the National Park Service would allow this. The National Mall's clean and well-kept aesthetic has been jeopardized by clusters of lime-green scooters and their ambient light. The Mall is at the heart of D.C. and serves as a reflection of the entire city. I remember D.C. as an elegant powerhouse, fueled with the history of America and where leaders take charge. Instead, the presence of these vehicles on the Mall cheapens this national treasure and therefore the city itself. The National Mall is not like other parks. While the views from Yosemite or the wildlife at Yellowstone make its visitors appreciate the present, the National Mall's monuments and memorials urge viewers to feel the past and care for the future. It must be equally protected. One would not allow the usage of electric scooters and bikes on the floor of the Grand Canyon, so why allow it steps away from the World War II memorial? All it takes is a voice of authority to end the usage of electric scooters and bikes on the grounds of the National Mall. Lilly Thornblad, Arlington The July 28 Sports article 'De Minaur takes final in three sets, then reaches out' was an uplifting account of the men's DC Open singles final. It provided a good reminder of the importance of sportsmanship. The accompanying photograph of the victorious Alex de Minaur comforting his crestfallen opponent, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, was a cause for joy in the uncivil, inconsiderate, win-at-all-costs environment confronting us daily. De Minaur is to be congratulated on his new title as well as his compassion, consideration and good sportsmanship. William A. McCollam, Fairfax The Post's July 30 Metro article '8 taken off Va. college boards' suggested that Fairfax County Circuit Judge Jonathan D. Frieden's trenchant resolution of the controversy over the Virginia Senate's rejection of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's (R) public university board appointments should terminate this unnecessary dispute. Frieden comprehensively rejected the university board defendants' threshold technical arguments. He concluded that the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee vote properly ended the matter in the Senate, thereby effectively defeating it in the General Assembly. Virginia's Constitution, its statutes and the Senate's rules are extremely clear, and Frieden's ruling — which relied on the Virginia Constitution, Virginia Code and the General Assembly's long-standing procedural rules for addressing proposed gubernatorial appointments — was thorough, persuasive and compelling. Granting a stay would enable improperly appointed board members to continue serving and prolong uncertainty, and the Virginia Supreme Court should expeditiously reject the defendants' stay request. Carl Tobias, Richmond The writer is the Williams chair at the University of Richmond School of Law.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
UnitedHealth replaces CFO Rex in another management shake-up
(Reuters) -UnitedHealth Group said on Thursday it will replace its finance chief John Rex with an external hire, Wayne DeVeydt, adding to the management changes at the health insurer that has been struggling to control its medical costs. Rex, who has been the company's CFO since 2016, will continue as a strategic adviser to the CEO, with the changes effective September 2. DeVeydt, 55, was most recently managing director and operating partner at Bain Capital, and was also the finance chief of UnitedHealth's rival Elevance, then called Anthem, between 2007 and 2016. During his tenure at Anthem, DeVeydt oversaw the company's $4.9 billion acquisition of Amerigroup in 2012 and was involved in the attempted $54 billion acquisition of Cigna, which was ultimately blocked by regulators. DeVeydt will get an annual base salary of $1 million and other benefits such as equity awards and a $2 million life insurance policy, UnitedHealth said. The largest U.S. health insurer had seen an abrupt departure of Andrew Witty as CEO in May, with Stephen Hemsley replacing him. Hemsley, who led UnitedHealth for more than a decade until 2017, has re-taken the reins following several setbacks for the company, including a cyberattack last year, federal investigations, soaring medical costs and a top executive's murder. Earlier this week, UnitedHealth provided a full-year adjusted profit forecast of at least $16 per share after suspending its prior outlook in May, and revealed billions of additional costs the company will face in the upcoming quarters. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gov. Josh Green raises possiblity of 2028 run for president
Gov. Josh Green told NBC News he is considering a 2028 campaign for president of the United States with a possible platform of healing the nation after the bitterly divisive era of American politics that has consumed the country. 'Among governors, I think there are probably eight to 10 of us who are elevating in the public dialogue, ' Green while attending the National Governors Association summer meeting in Colorado. 'I haven't made up my mind about what the future holds. I would be honored to help whomever. I might even become a potential candidate, but only if I've actually done a good job.' 'I believe we're going to have to heal this country in 2028—and maybe beyond, because there's a lot of conflict that's been going on, and not just during the Trump era, ' NBC quoted Green as saying. 'So someone may want a healer.' Green told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in a written statement Thursday that he is focused 'on serving as Hawaii's Governor, running for re-election next year, and being an effective advocate to help heal our country.' 'As the only physician Governor, it has become my responsibility to work on national health issues for our state and the 49 others. Many of the nation's Governors, Democratic and Republican, and sometimes even the administration are asking me to help in the national health policy space as we navigate this uncertain time, ' Green said. 'I suspect several of these Governor colleagues and good friends will run for President in 2028. I hope to be here at home for a long time.' Green has developed a national profile and has lobbied Congress and President Donald Trump's administration on an array of national issues relevant to Hawaii, including how to handle the $50 billion rural health fund. 'When I think about who our next President should be, I do feel very strongly it should be someone who can unite us and heal the wounds that have resulted from a very traumatic era for so many, ' Green said Thursday. At the same meeting where he told NBC News about his possible presidential aspirations, Green was elected to the National Governors Association's Executive Committee. Green is serving as the Western Governors' Association vice chair, and on July 1, he is scheduled to become the fourth Hawaii governor to serve as WGA chair. Gov. George Ariyoshi was WGA's first chair in 1985 ; Gov. Ben Cayetano served as chair in 2000, and Gov. David Ige was chair in 2019. In a Monday news release, Green said national leadership roles allow him to advocate for the people of Hawaii 'on a broader stage.' 'Whether it's securing support for climate resilience, elevating access to healthcare, or strengthening our economy, I'm committed to working across the aisle with my fellow governors to deliver real results, ' Green said Monday. 'Bipartisan collaboration isn't just possible—it's necessary. Hawaii has unique challenges and opportunities and our voice will help shape the national approach to some of the most urgent issues we all face.' He testified against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to serve as Health and Human Services secretary and has met with Trump to advocate for Hawaii funding and initiatives. Key administration officials tasked Green to find positive, bipartisan ways to navigate current health care challenges. In January, he started the Heal America PAC, headquartered at 600 Pennsylvania Ave. SE in Washington, D.C. Between January and June 30, the PAC raised $192, 818, according to the Federal Election Commission. The PAC website's landing page features a picture of Green in blue scrubs, crouching before a shirtless child in diapers in what appears to be a homeless encampment, a stethoscope pressed to the child's chest. Green's PAC 'supports leaders and ideas that make our country healthier and safer—including transformative approaches to housing, healthcare, homelessness, gun violence, and climate.' 'We are working to find new solutions to ensure that every American can afford housing and healthcare, and live in a safe and healthy community, ' reads the PAC's mission statement. Green, who started practicing medicine in Hawaii in rural communities on Hawaii island, among Hawaii's registered Democratic, Republican and independent voters, placing him in a tie for the fifth-most-popular governor in the nation, according to the results of a voter survey released by Morning Consult Pro on July 16. The Morning Consult Pro survey, conducted from April through June, found Green's disapproval rating has fallen to 27 % from 37 % in the fourth quarter of 2024. Among Hawaii Democrats, Green had a 77 % approval rating, followed by 57 % from independents, according to the latest survey. Among Hawaii Republicans, Green had a disapproval rating of 51 % and a 46 % approval rating. Green is expected to make a formal announcement about his gubernatorial reelection campaign in the spring. He served in the state House of Representatives and the state Senate from 2004 to 2018 before winning election as lieutenant governor. In 2022, Green was elected Hawaii's ninth governor. Raised in Pittsburgh, Green attended Swarthmore College before earning degrees in biology and anthropology. He received his medical degree from Penn State. Green and his wife, Jaime, were married in 2006 and have two children. The next Hawaii gubernatorial election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
