Latest news with #MariaTorres
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The 'Olympic Wage' Debate Could Return to the Ballots in 2026
The 'Olympic Wage' Debate Could Return to the Ballots in 2026 originally appeared on L.A. Mag. Thousands of cooks, room attendants, dishwashers and airport employees across Los Angeles were set to make more than any other minimum-wage worker in the country, but the pushback from business owners and industry giants like United Airlines, Delta, Hilton and Marriott proves they won't go down without a a move to try and halt the rollout, which Mayor Bass signed into law last Tuesday, the defense campaign has until June 30 to secure 93,000 signatures from registered L.A. voters to qualify the measure so it reappears on next year's ballot.'We're the industry. We need to make sure what we fought so hard for is defended,' said Maria Torres, who would've been eligible for the pay increase — but now her time in the state of California is in who speaks only Spanish, said this extra money would be incredibly helpful in supporting her and her husband, whose rent just went up by $300 this month. Originally from Honduras, she often sends whatever she can spare back to family in her home country, but she said she barely has enough to live on herself right now. She and her husband are planning on moving to Louisiana if nothing extra money could go to her housing and healthcare will instead go to their second yacht, she said. 'People can't afford to live in Los Angeles,' says Kurt Petersen, president of Unite Here Local 11, an organization that represents over 30,000 hospitality workers, including Torres. 'Restaurants are struggling…because not enough people eat at them because not enough people have enough money.'Petersen says the larger corporations argue that this will cost the tourism industry millions, and will imperil the L.A. economy. But this ballot initiative, he says, will cost United, Delta and its hotel partners millions — and those millions could go towards paying their workers instead of arguing.'Every dollar that hotel workers, airport workers have in their pocket is one dollar they spend in the community,' he said. 'That's the beauty of this law. Workers spend their paychecks in local restaurants, local businesses, and that's the kind of economy we want.'One major selling point to sign is the threats made by at least eight hotels to pull out of a deal struck to accommodate personnel needed for 2028's Summer Olympic Games, to be held in Los Angeles. Jessica Durrum, the director of Tourism Workers Rising, calls this move 'another greedy tactic' by hotel chains, whose contractual obligations to the Olympics are due in part by the public subsidies given to them to build their lodging in big names in hospitality is no picnic for Tourism Workers Rising. The leaders of these companies always claim tourism is in jeopardy — that 'the sky is falling,' Durrum with the Super Bowl, World Cup and the Olympics, she assures, the sky will never fall.'It's so upsetting for workers…They thought they had this,' Petersen said. 'I mean, it's like grand theft larceny by the modern day robber.' This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Brooklyn Bridge ship crash brings members of NYC's Mexican community together for vigil
There was a somber gathering just below the Brooklyn Bridge on Wednesday night, as members of the New York Mexican community, along with city leaders, remembered two sailors who died in last weekend's ship crash. Nineteen other crew members were injured in the collision. Read more: Ship that struck Brooklyn Bridge was under control of pilot from New York, officials confirm "It was really heartbreaking" Camila Perez said she was recording video when she saw the horror unfold. "I see the first two sails collapse backwards," Perez said, holding back tears. "I don't even know these people, [but] to see my own ethnicity just go ... and like two people died ... it hurts." Others said they, too, didn't know the people on board, but just felt compelled to attend Wednesday's vigil. "It's just like unity, you know, with our people," said Nancy Rodriguez of Brooklyn. "It was like really heartbreaking to see all those people fall down." Maria Torres of Queens said she spoke to some crew members before the crash. "Very sad. I was with them near the ship. I talked to them," Torres said. Members of the Mexican community said they are beginning to heal. "Knowing that everyone is coming together to accommodate and feel empathy for the fallen people, it makes me feel nice," Perez said. The latest on the investigation Officials say the ship, which was on its way to Iceland, pulled away from Pier 17 on Saturday night with the help of tugboat, but somehow drifted backwards and, minutes later, plowed into the bridge. All injured crew members have been discharged from the hospital and are now back in Mexico, official said. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation and looking at the condition of the ship, including the engine, as well as the wind and tides, to see if they played a role in the crash. Mayor Eric Adams was on hand Wednesday night to offer support. "People from Mexico that live in this city have shown us how much you love your home country," Adams said.
Economic Times
17-05-2025
- Health
- Economic Times
US FDA approves world's first blood test for Alzheimer's, and what it means
TIL Creatives A nurse prepares the world's first FDA-approved blood test for Alzheimer's, offering families hope, answers, and a path forward When her mother began forgetting names and losing her way home, Maria Torres feared the worst, but had no easy path to answers. Now, a simple blood test could finally offer families like hers the clarity they've long needed. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in a landmark diagnosis for dementia, has approved the world's first blood test designed to detect dementia disease in its early stages. The Lumipulse Plasma Ratio test, developed by Fujirebio Diagnostics, offers a less invasive and more accessible alternative to traditional diagnostic methods. Alzheimer's disease, a progressive neurological disorder, affects over 6 million people in the United States, with numbers expected to rise significantly in the coming decades. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for managing the disease and exploring treatment options. Also Read: Microplastics in the brain worsen the situation of dementia in the US The Lumipulse test works by measuring specific proteins in the blood that are associated with the presence of amyloid plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Previously, detecting these plaques required costly and invasive procedures like PET scans or spinal taps. With this new blood test, a simple blood draw can provide valuable diagnostic studies have demonstrated the test's efficacy, with results showing high accuracy in identifying amyloid plaques. In a study involving 499 cognitively impaired individuals, the blood test's findings closely matched those obtained from PET scans and spinal fluid tests. The FDA emphasized that the test should be used in conjunction with other clinical evaluations to determine the appropriate course of Commissioner Martin A. Makary said,"Alzheimer's disease impacts too many people, more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Knowing that 10 percent of people aged 65 and older have Alzheimer's, and that by 2050 that number is expected to double."The approval of the Lumipulse test also has implications for treatment accessibility. Two FDA-approved drugs, Leqembi and Kisunla, have shown promise in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's by targeting amyloid plaques. However, their use requires confirmation of plaque presence, which the new blood test can facilitate more Michelle Tarver, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, remarked, "Today's clearance is an important step for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis, making it easier and potentially more accessible for US patients earlier in the disease."While the test represents a significant advancement, experts caution that it is not intended for individuals without symptoms and should be administered under medical supervision.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
US FDA approves world's first blood test for Alzheimer's, and what it means
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel When her mother began forgetting names and losing her way home, Maria Torres feared the worst, but had no easy path to answers. Now, a simple blood test could finally offer families like hers the clarity they've long US Food and Drug Administration FDA ), in a landmark diagnosis for dementia, has approved the world's first blood test designed to detect dementia disease in its early Lumipulse Plasma Ratio test, developed by Fujirebio Diagnostics, offers a less invasive and more accessible alternative to traditional diagnostic methods. Alzheimer 's disease, a progressive neurological disorder, affects over 6 million people in the United States, with numbers expected to rise significantly in the coming decades. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for managing the disease and exploring treatment Lumipulse test works by measuring specific proteins in the blood that are associated with the presence of amyloid plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer's detecting these plaques required costly and invasive procedures like PET scans or spinal taps. With this new blood test, a simple blood draw can provide valuable diagnostic studies have demonstrated the test's efficacy, with results showing high accuracy in identifying amyloid plaques. In a study involving 499 cognitively impaired individuals, the blood test's findings closely matched those obtained from PET scans and spinal fluid FDA emphasized that the test should be used in conjunction with other clinical evaluations to determine the appropriate course of Commissioner Martin A. Makary said,"Alzheimer's disease impacts too many people, more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Knowing that 10 percent of people aged 65 and older have Alzheimer's, and that by 2050 that number is expected to double."The approval of the Lumipulse test also has implications for treatment accessibility. Two FDA-approved drugs, Leqembi and Kisunla, have shown promise in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's by targeting amyloid plaques. However, their use requires confirmation of plaque presence, which the new blood test can facilitate more Michelle Tarver, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, remarked, "Today's clearance is an important step for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis, making it easier and potentially more accessible for US patients earlier in the disease."While the test represents a significant advancement, experts caution that it is not intended for individuals without symptoms and should be administered under medical supervision.
