Latest news with #Lassen
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
$10 million project closed popular WA park for a year. When will it reopen?
From family picnics to enjoying the beach, Kopachuck State Park near Gig Harbor is known for its scenic views. Since June 3, 2024, the park has been closed for a $10 million renovation. The team is now in the final stretch of that project, and hopes to reopen the park in August. The renovations include a welcome center, community meeting hall, a new playground and a space for outdoor learning. Of existing components, there will be improved parking lots, restrooms, increased accessibility for people with disabilities and enhanced pathways to the beach. Roads and utilities will also be upgraded. An outdoor amphitheater was built in the upper day-use area of the park, Washington State Parks spokesperson Meryl Lassen said. Wooden ramps and stairs were also added across the park in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. That means the beach, amphitheater and other amenities will be more accessible for visitors. Crews discovered in 2011 that 80% of the trees in the park's campground were infected with a fungus called laminated root rot, according to the Kopachuck State Park website. After further research, park officials decided to close the campground area permanently for safety reasons. In 2014, Washington State Parks created a master plan to improve the day-use area of the park, Lassen said. Ten years later, construction began. Lassen described the lengthy process as 'playing the long game.' Obtaining permits and funding slowed the process. It's a state-funded project, and the total contract amount is $9,956,107.06. Lassen said some residents have expressed concern over the years about the loss of trees and the modernization of the park taking away from its natural environment. 'Our mission is to preserve and maintain parks for generations to come,' Lassen said. 'Our commitment is not just their immediate recreation value, but also their long-term health and sustainability.' She said officials will announce a reopening date when the project is further along, possibly in mid-July.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Natural ways to help manage ADHD symptoms
An ongoing shortage of medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is affecting millions—and with no end in sight. The Food and Drug Administration first announced a shortage of Adderall, the drug most commonly used to treat ADHD, in October 2022. Manufacturing delays, medication withdrawals due to cross-contamination, overprescribing, and unprecedented demand are some of the many reasons behind the shortage. This June, the shortage was heightened when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced disrupted access to stimulation medications, including Adderall, due to a health care fraud scheme. As a growing number of people with ADHD experience a disruption to their prescriptions, they may seek medication outside the traditional health care system, in turn increasing the risk of injury and overdose, reported the CDC. There's been a dramatic increase in patients with prescriptions for ADHD over the past decade. Prescribed stimulants, including Adderall, Ritalin, and other drugs, rose by over 50% between 2012 and 2022, according to a 2023 report from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Meanwhile, there are around 6% of adults in the U.S.—roughly 15.5 million individuals—currently have ADHD, according to data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. As of October 2023, around one-third of adults with ADHD take stimulant medication, with almost three-quarters experiencing problems getting their medicines due to a lack of availability. At the same time, about a third of adults are not receiving any kind of ADHD treatment. "We are seeing people go without their medications, and those who ration them in various ways to try and deal with the current shortage," Stephen Lassen told Stacker. Lassen has a doctorate in clinical child and adolescent psychology and is a psychologist in behavioral sciences at the University of Kansas Health System. "Without the medication, many children with ADHD are struggling in school and in social relationships. Adults with ADHD are also struggling at work and with daily life management tasks," he added. Common ADHD symptoms like inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior are often managed with medication. But amid the ongoing shortage, many people living with ADHD are considering alternative strategies to mitigate symptoms. Lassen noted that emerging research suggests that some lifestyle interventions produce mild reductions in ADHD symptoms, such as regular exercise, adequate and consistent sleep, and limited screen time. "In reality, these are good lifestyle habits for everyone and carry no risk, so they should be the foundation of any plan for managing ADHD," he said. ADHD Advisor compiled evidence-based tactics for managing ADHD as an Adderall shortage continues to plague the U.S. Please note that any treatment changes should be run by a medical doctor, and these tips are not a replacement for medication. While no definitive diet exists for ADHD, some research suggests that eliminating foods that may trigger flare-ups could help manage symptoms in young people. A 2020 literature review published in the Nordic Journal of Psychiatry found that some children and adolescents may benefit from an elimination diet, which involves removing one or more foods over a period of time to identify food sensitivities that exacerbate ADHD symptoms. A 2021 study published in Scientific Reports found that over 3 in 5 boys aged 8 to 10 experienced a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms when following the few-foods diet, which consists of rice, meat, vegetables, pears, and other foods deemed least likely to trigger reactions. However, patients are advised to be under professional supervision when trying the few-foods diet to avoid nutritional deficiencies. Though there are mixed results on how nutritional supplements affect ADHD symptoms, diet quality and nutrition have been shown to play a role in ADHD's functionality. Vitamin D and magnesium supplements were shown to improve ADHD symptoms among patients deficient in vitamin D, according to a 2022 literature review in the journal Nutrients. The researchers also found that some probiotic supplements improved symptoms of ADHD, but robust evidence is still needed. "Individuals with ADHD may have vitamin and mineral deficiencies that need to be addressed," Lassen noted. "However, there is limited evidence that specific dietary changes impact ADHD symptoms in children and adults." The new field of nutritional psychiatry is starting to unpack the general effects of diet on mental health, Lassen added. "A balanced diet that avoids processed food and refined sugar is likely to lead to improved cognitive and physical functioning." The "natural high" that many people experience from moving their bodies and getting their heart rate up may have a particularly profound impact on people with ADHD. "According to the broad science, exercise tempers ADHD by increasing the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine-both of which play leading roles in regulating the attention system," Dr. John Ratey, a Havard professor and ADHD expert wrote in an April 2024 article for ADDitude magazine. A 2023 meta-analysis published in eClinical Medicine found that exercise improved cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and inattention in children and adolescents with ADHD. Activities like martial arts, ballet, rock climbing, and other technically precise physical activities can help manage ADHD, Ratey added in his article. These activities require skills that engage a number of areas in the brain, notably "evaluating consequences, switching, error correction, fine motor adjustments, inhibition, and, of course, intense focus and concentration." Studies have long shown an association between screen time and heightened ADHD symptoms. Higher amounts of screen time among high school students exacerbated ADHD symptoms, according to a 2023 study in Scientific Reports. The study directly linked social media usage, watching TV, and gaming to ADHD symptoms, with social media use in particular associated with an increase in impulsive behavior. Limiting screen time can help manage ADHD symptoms, particularly for children and teens with ADHD. Parents can add guardrails, including setting a schedule and giving warnings, being discerning about usage, and incorporating physical activity after screen time to help mitigate symptoms. ADHD has been linked to insomnia, and can increase the chance of sleep disruptions or the time it takes to fall asleep. What's more, because sleep deprivation is known to exacerbate ADHD symptoms, including forgetfulness and a lack of concentration, sleep issues can create a vicious cycle for people with ADHD. The Sleep Foundation has several tips for improving sleep, including avoiding screen time at least one hour before bed, exercising, getting enough sunlight during the day, and stopping the consumption of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime. Developing an enjoyable bedtime routine, which may include taking a warm bath or spending time with pets, can also help patients unwind before bedtime and get a good night's sleep. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on ADHD Advisor and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Associated Press
13-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Farmers and rural businesses shelled out money for improvements. Will their promised rebates arrive?
A freeze on federal loans and grants is creating turmoil for some rural U.S. business owners who fear they won't get reimbursed for new, cleaner irrigation equipment or solar panels they purchased with the promise of a rebate. In Cherryville, Maine, Hugh Lassen and his wife and two teenagers grow organic, wild blueberries on their Intervale Farm. Last year they purchased solar panels to run their home, a blueberry sorter and 14 freezers. They did it thinking they'd get an $8,000 grant through the Rural Energy for America Program. 'It's never the right time to spend $25,700,' Lassen said. 'It's a huge amount of money for us because we're pretty small … you also have college expenses looming.' President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on giving out these funds, but federal judges have said departments can disburse them. Yet many departments have not resumed writing checks, so questions remain for some business owners who spent years making plans for improvements they could afford only with grants. 'We'll just have to suck it up if somehow the funding doesn't come through,' Lassen said. REAP, offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is one of the many initiatives rocked by the funding freeze. It provides grants to small businesses in rural areas so they can generate clean energy or improve their energy efficiency. Besides solar, it has helped fund wind turbines, electric irrigation pumps to replace diesel ones, and corn ethanol. Once a business gets approved for REAP, it purchases the technology and operates it for at least 30 days. Then a USDA agent comes out personally for verification and barring any problem, the check gets issued. Some people have spent months on their applications. Deanna and Christopher Boettcher run Mar Vista Farm and Cottages in Gualala, California, and began their REAP application in 2023. They put in time going over plans with contractors and filling out paperwork for 48 solar panels to cover about 80% of their electricity needs. The day they received approval to buy the panels, the funding freeze was announced. 'I am speechless,' Deanna Boettcher said. 'Absolutely this will change my plans. There is no way we can build the solar system without the funds ... So many obstacles and hurdles they put in the way, and to finally get there and then this.' Their solar system cost $82,600. REAP is supposed to cover half. 'We're not going to even think about starting it unless we know that it's not frozen … so we're back to where I was two years ago.' Lassen stressed that lower energy costs make farm products cheaper to make, allowing them to be priced lower. Solar and wind are appealing to remote communities because they can be cheaper than traditional energy sources, such as diesel generators and irrigation pumps. Grants have proven to be a major driver of new clean energy projects in rural areas because they lower the price tag. But the Trump administration believes the role of government should be far more limited. Rather than solar power or energy efficiency, Trump has spoken often about his support for oil and gas, erasing environmental and climate policies created under the Biden administration. His key advisor, billionaire Elon Musk, has said the government should scrap all federal tax credits and subsidies. Russell Vought, the newly-confirmed White House budget director, co-authored the conservative agenda for Trump's second term, Project 2025, which criticized renewables like wind and solar and encouraged more oil and gas usage. USDA leaders 'have been directed to assess whether grants, loans, contracts, and other disbursements align with the new administration's policies,' according to a statement from a department spokesperson who noted that Brooke Rollins, USDA secretary nominee, 'will have the opportunity to review the programs and work with the White House to make determinations as quickly as possible,' once she's confirmed. The Lassens' solar system has a Tesla inverter, which converts direct current from the panels to the alternating current used on the property. Hugh said this puts him in a 'funny place where we're benefitting from the brainpower,' but could also suffer from Elon Musk's 'slash and burn cost-cutting' efforts. 'Farmers and small business owners throughout Appalachia and rural America are struggling to stay afloat,' said Chelsea Barnes, director of government affairs and strategy at Appalachian Voices, a nonprofit focused on sustainability. For people who have been awarded REAP funding and made purchases but haven't been reimbursed, 'that will cause significant financial harm.' REAP originated with the 2002 Farm Bill and has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support for energy self-reliance, with money flowing in via farm bill legislation and the Inflation Reduction Act. The program has spent $2.4 billion total since it was created and about half of that came from the Biden administration IRA, passed in 2022. 'It's really counterproductive to go after a program that does so much to help farmers bring down their costs. This is something that everybody agrees on. It primarily benefits Republican districts,' said Andy Olsen, a senior policy advocate at the Environmental Law and Policy Center.
The Independent
13-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Farmers and rural businesses shelled out money for improvements. Will their promised rebates arrive?
A freeze on federal loans and grants is creating turmoil for some rural U.S. business owners who fear they won't get reimbursed for new, cleaner irrigation equipment or solar panels they purchased with the promise of a rebate. In Cherryville, Maine, Hugh Lassen and his wife and two teenagers grow organic, wild blueberries on their Intervale Farm. Last year they purchased solar panels to run their home, a blueberry sorter and 14 freezers. They did it thinking they'd get an $8,000 grant through the Rural Energy for America Program. 'It's never the right time to spend $25,700,' Lassen said. 'It's a huge amount of money for us because we're pretty small … you also have college expenses looming.' President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on giving out these funds, but federal judges have said departments can disburse them. Yet many departments have not resumed writing checks, so questions remain for some business owners who spent years making plans for improvements they could afford only with grants. 'We'll just have to suck it up if somehow the funding doesn't come through,' Lassen said. REAP, offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is one of the many initiatives rocked by the funding freeze. It provides grants to small businesses in rural areas so they can generate clean energy or improve their energy efficiency. Besides solar, it has helped fund wind turbines, electric irrigation pumps to replace diesel ones, and corn ethanol. Once a business gets approved for REAP, it purchases the technology and operates it for at least 30 days. Then a USDA agent comes out personally for verification and barring any problem, the check gets issued. Some people have spent months on their applications. Deanna and Christopher Boettcher run Mar Vista Farm and Cottages in Gualala, California, and began their REAP application in 2023. They put in time going over plans with contractors and filling out paperwork for 48 solar panels to cover about 80% of their electricity needs. The day they received approval to buy the panels, the funding freeze was announced. 'I am speechless,' Deanna Boettcher said. 'Absolutely this will change my plans. There is no way we can build the solar system without the funds ... So many obstacles and hurdles they put in the way, and to finally get there and then this.' Their solar system cost $82,600. REAP is supposed to cover half. 'We're not going to even think about starting it unless we know that it's not frozen … so we're back to where I was two years ago.' Lassen stressed that lower energy costs make farm products cheaper to make, allowing them to be priced lower. Solar and wind are appealing to remote communities because they can be cheaper than traditional energy sources, such as diesel generators and irrigation pumps. Grants have proven to be a major driver of new clean energy projects in rural areas because they lower the price tag. But the Trump administration believes the role of government should be far more limited. Rather than solar power or energy efficiency, Trump has spoken often about his support for oil and gas, erasing environmental and climate policies created under the Biden administration. His key advisor, billionaire Elon Musk, has said the government should scrap all federal tax credits and subsidies. Russell Vought, the newly-confirmed White House budget director, co-authored the conservative agenda for Trump's second term, Project 2025, which criticized renewables like wind and solar and encouraged more oil and gas usage. USDA leaders 'have been directed to assess whether grants, loans, contracts, and other disbursements align with the new administration's policies,' according to a statement from a department spokesperson who noted that Brooke Rollins, USDA secretary nominee, 'will have the opportunity to review the programs and work with the White House to make determinations as quickly as possible,' once she's confirmed. The Lassens' solar system has a Tesla inverter, which converts direct current from the panels to the alternating current used on the property. Hugh said this puts him in a 'funny place where we're benefitting from the brainpower,' but could also suffer from Elon Musk's 'slash and burn cost-cutting" efforts. 'Farmers and small business owners throughout Appalachia and rural America are struggling to stay afloat,' said Chelsea Barnes, director of government affairs and strategy at Appalachian Voices, a nonprofit focused on sustainability. For people who have been awarded REAP funding and made purchases but haven't been reimbursed, "that will cause significant financial harm.' REAP originated with the 2002 Farm Bill and has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support for energy self-reliance, with money flowing in via farm bill legislation and the Inflation Reduction Act. The program has spent $2.4 billion total since it was created and about half of that came from the Biden administration IRA, passed in 2022. 'It's really counterproductive to go after a program that does so much to help farmers bring down their costs. This is something that everybody agrees on. It primarily benefits Republican districts," said Andy Olsen, a senior policy advocate at the Environmental Law and Policy Center. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
