Latest news with #Salo
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
U.S. Border Patrol agent dies in off-duty crash in Pend Oreille County
Apr. 29—A 36-year-old U.S. Border Patrol agent died Friday night after driving off state Route 31 and crashing into a street sign while off duty just south of Metaline in Pend Oreille County, officials said. Travis W. Salo was assigned to the Metaline Falls Station, according to the "US Border Patrol Spokane Sector" Facebook page. "With heavy hearts, the men and women of the Spokane Sector are mourning the loss of Border Patrol Agent Travis W. Salo, a dedicated and honorable member of our team," the post read. "He tragically lost his life in an off-duty vehicle accident on the night of April 25, 2025." Salo was driving a 2007 Toyota Tundra pickup truck south on the highway shortly after 11:20 p.m. when he went off the highway, according to a Washington State Patrol news release. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Salo, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene.
Axios
14-03-2025
- Health
- Axios
Republicans' search for Medicaid money sparks fight with providers
House Republicans signaled this week that they're looking for hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid spending cuts, and most — if not all — roads to getting there go through hospitals' and other providers' wallets. Why it matters: Health care reform always creates winners and losers. To reduce federal spending and taxpayer obligations, lawmakers will have to choose pain for some combination of Medicaid beneficiaries, states or hospitals and other providers. The risk is ultimately less access to care, particularly for some of the country's most vulnerable populations. Reality check: This process is just getting started on the Hill. Everything can and will probably change as Republicans work through what's possible. The big picture: Some hospitals are making a lot of money (and running Super Bowl ads), while others are struggling and on the brink of failure. Regardless, the hospital industry is a formidable presence in Washington, which could create big headaches for lawmakers seeking to enact reforms that hospitals don't like. Where it stands: Industry statements started hitting reporters' inboxes shortly after House Republicans released their budget resolution earlier this week, which called for $880 billion in spending reductions within the jurisdiction of the committee that covers Medicaid. "While some have suggested dramatic reductions in the Medicaid program as part of a reconciliation vehicle, we would urge Congress to reject that approach," the American Hospital Association warned. "America's Essential Hospitals stoutly opposes and categorically condemns any cuts to Medicaid and Medicare that would result from this blueprint," the group wrote. "We cannot afford the resulting loss of life-saving safety net services that millions of Americans need to stay healthy." Between the lines: Yes, if people lose Medicaid and become uninsured, hospitals will face higher uncompensated care costs. But it's more than that. Many cost-saving proposals simply reduce the amount of federal dollars that states get for the program, in one way or another. States would then have to decide whether to make up the costs themselves, cut enrollment, reduce benefits or reduce what they pay providers. Cutting enrollment and reducing benefits in a way that meaningfully curbs costs is hard, said Matt Salo, the former executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. That leaves provider cuts. "I think what's different this time around is the hospitals have gotten much more sophisticated about articulating what happens if you crack down," Salo said. "If you squeeze the money to the states, the states are going to squeeze the money to providers. And if you squeeze the money to providers, they're going to squeeze access to beneficiaries. It's a vicious cycle." Zoom in: Capping federal Medicaid spending — one of the two most-talked-about reforms on the menu so far, along with work requirements — could reduce federal spending by hundreds of billions of dollars, or even more than a trillion dollars, depending on how it's structured, per the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Getting moderates to support per capita caps in 2017 was really hard, and ultimately a lot of them wouldn't do it. That ended up being OK given the House GOP's vote margin at the time, but that margin is now much, much smaller. Yes, but: There are other ways to get to $880 billion in cuts, should Republicans end up needing to hit somewhere in that ballpark and choose to do it primarily via the Medicaid program. For example ... They could simply reduce the level of federal reimbursement for Medicaid expansion enrollees, which is currently at 90% — much higher than the reimbursement rate for other populations. They could reduce the minimum federal match rate generally, which would result in wealthier and generally bluer states getting less funding. (The problem: There are still plenty of House Republicans from New York and California.) Or they could target providers directly through provider taxes and what are called state-directed payments, which have ballooned in recent years. Keep reading for more on that. And, of course, the Trump administration has been big on cutting waste, fraud and abuse writ large. The bottom line: "It all comes back to the providers eventually in different ways," said Chip Kahn, CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals. " All the ways you have to get to 880 [billion dollars] are not in the interest of the Medicaid recipients who depend on hospitals, doctors and nursing homes and other settings for their care," he added.
CBC
10-03-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Starving owls ending up at northern Ontario wildlife rescues in triple their usual numbers
Social Sharing A wildlife rehabilitation centre in Val Caron, Ont. says it's seen triple the number of injured and emaciated owls this winter that it typically sees in a winter season. And it blames the situation on snow. "They're starving," said Gloria Morissette, the authorized wildlife custodian at the Turtle Pond Wildlife Centre. "The deep snow is making it harder for the owls to find their prey, the mice and rodents." The centre has cared for between 12 and 15 of the birds so far this winter, Morissette said, far more than the three or four they'd typically see. "I think we've seen just about every native owl to northern Ontario this year," she said. "We've seen snowy. We've had great greys come through – the great horned owls. We've had several boreal owls, which is not something we admit every year, and we have a little saw-whet." This winter is in irruption year, explained Jenn Salo, an authorized wildlife custodian for birds of prey in Thunder Bay. An irruption year That means there's been a crash in the vole population in the Arctic, prompting owls and other birds that would generally stay in the north to fly south in search of food. "A lot of them are coming into our areas in starving conditions," she said. "And then when the weather gets tough or we get huge dumps of snow — like southern Ontario has gotten record amounts of snow -- that makes it extremely hard for the owls to hunt." Salo, like Morissette has taken in more than a dozen owls this year. That's up from an average of five in a typical season, she said. The Owl Foundation, a specialist raptor rescue on the Niagara peninsula, issued an Ontario Owl Alert on its Facebook page in February saying that eastern screech owls were struggling to catch prey due to deep snow. It urged people to call a rehab organization if they see an owl in distress. Owls typically fly away from humans, Morissette said, but emaciated owls will just stay in one place. "We had one little barred owl just admitted last week, and he'd been sitting on a person's deck railing for three days," she said. "And by the third day, he was sitting on the railing and kind of leaning into the side of the house. And so they called us, and they were able to bring it into us, and if they hadn't brought it in when they did, I don't think that bird would've survived another day." Wildlife rehabilitator says stay away from the owls Any owl that stays in one place for more than 24 hours probably needs help, she added. Many of the owls at Turtle Pond have arrived from cities to the north, such as Timmins, Morissette said. But one was discovered in downtown Sudbury. Salo urged people who see owls to stay away from them and not to encourage others to crowd around them and take photographs. "Humans flock to the locations where these owls are trying to hunt, not realizing that these owls are on the verge of starvation, and human presence makes it much more difficult to hunt," she said. "And it stresses the bird out having all these eyes on them." Turtle Pond has not seen any owls with avian flu yet, Morissette said, but wildlife rescues in southern Ontario have warned people not to approach sick birds and to call rescues to come and collect them. The Windsor Essex County Health Unit has warned anyone wanting to interact with wild birds to don personal protective equipment such as a mask and gloves.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Is Not Being Hungry In The Morning A Sign Of Hormonal Issues? We Asked The Experts
Don't get me wrong ― I have a huge appetite. It just doesn't tend to kick in until around noon. Experts say our Circadian rhythm tends to make us less peckish in the morning, only to become ravenous after 8 pm (yup, that sounds like me). But my TikTok For You page has had me in a bit of a panic recently. Wellness influencers appear on my screen, telling me that not feeling hungry in the morning ― especially if you're a woman ― is a telltale sign of too much cortisol, a 'stress' hormone that's been blamed for everything from weight gain to puffy faces. So, I thought I'd reach out to registered nurse Janelle Salo, Dr Michael Chichak, Medical Director at MEDvidi, and Dr Daniel Atkinson, clinical lead at to find out whether that's really true. Nurse Salo says: 'Cortisol, the hormone that helps wake you up, is naturally higher in the morning and it can suppress hunger.' But that doesn't mean anything's wrong with you, or that your hormones are somehow 'imbalanced.' We need cortisol to regulate our bodies and keep us alert ― that's why people with Addison's disease, a condition caused by a lack of cortisol, experience exhaustion and even fainting. All three experts made comments along the lines of Dr Atkinson's assessment. He told HuffPost UK: 'Lots of things can affect your appetite, so not feeling hungry when you wake up isn't necessarily an indication of ill health, or that your hormones aren't working as they should.' These factors can include eating too much the night before, hormonal changes, or, yes, added stress. Nurse Salo added that 'women may notice shifts in their morning hunger depending on where they are in their menstrual cycle,' stating that 'rising oestrogen levels can dampen appetite, while progesterone can increase it'. Those are hormonal changes, but they're not necessarily ones to worry about ― women simply tend to go through more hormonal shifts than men as a matter of course. Indeed while all experts say that not being hungry in the morning may not be a red flag in and of itself, Dr Chichak told us that women 'may experience more complex hormonal imbalances involving cortisol, insulin, and even liver function' that could complicate the relationship between appetite and health than men. If waking up without an appetite is normal for you and you're not experiencing any other symptoms, the experts agree you're likely fine. But Nurse Salo writes that 'if you regularly skip meals and feel sluggish, lightheaded, or irritable, it could be worth checking in with a doctor or nutritionist to ensure that your eating habits support your energy levels.' She adds that while hunger levels vary from person to person, 'If everything is running smoothly, meaning you're well-rested, eating balanced meals, and staying hydrated, you should generally start feeling hungry within a couple of hours after waking up.' Dr Atkinson points out that Cushing's Syndrome, a medical condition which arises from extremely high levels of cortisol, may actually increase your appetite rather than lower it. Still, he says: 'If your appetite is consistently lacking over a prolonged period, then it might be worth speaking to a medical professional.' Dr Chichak agrees, writing: 'For some, skipping breakfast is not such a big deal, however, when combined with an energy slump, digestive problems, or menstrual irregularities, medical attention is advised.' If your appetite is usually so low you're not eating enough to sustain yourself, if you notice other symptoms like sluggishness and dizziness, and if you generally feel worried about your eating habits, a trip to the GP is advised. But otherwise, Nurse Salo advises: 'if you feel good and your energy levels are steady, your natural hunger pattern is probably just right for you!'. This 'Risky' TikTok Sleep Trend Has 'Zero Legitimate Science,' Sleep Expert Says Here's The Best Time To Eat Dinner, Longevity Experts Say I Asked An Expert Why We Get Food 'Icks' And The Reason Is So Surprising
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Larian scrambles to find out who exactly put Patch 8 on the PS5 early, meanwhile I, a PC unfortunate, rattle the bars of my enclosure
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. As PC Gamer is wont to do, we've been posting a lot about how our device of choice has won the console war. I would like to unilaterally, with authority that I do not have (and have not asked for), state that we've lost. Catastrophically, because the PlayStation 5 has randomly received Patch 8 of Baldur's Gate 3 early and I'm volcanic with jealousy. The only saving grace is that it's not, er, actually supposed to be this way. In an announcement made to the Baldur's Gate 3 Discord, a senior community manager by the name of Salo writes: "No, the Patch 8 stress test hasn't yet begun. Yes, PS5 players do currently have access to Patch 8." This seems corroborated by, well, the internet—here's one player who's downloading it, here's another. Here's a PS5 player on the Discord server realising that they had, in fact, downloaded Patch 8 of the game with a: "Hexblade is new, right? Because that means that update 8 is in fact, out right now." This has Larian, broadly-speaking, on high alert—Larian's Tumblr account (yes, it's official, no, I don't know why it's called John Larian and why the header image is like that) also shared what appears to be a Slack message titled: "Hello! Welcome to the patch-8-is-on-ps5-for-some-reason-help-help-ahhh task group." I should note that, if you do happen to be on PS5, you probably shouldn't go gung ho on your saves just yet. While Patch 8 might be out, it hasn't been stress tested yet, which means it's probably not exactly ready. This is a warning that Larian itself echoes: "While we work with our partners to understand what's going on, please note that any new saves made while on Patch 8 will not be compatible with Patch 7," before asking: "How's your Monday going?" It's going okay, Larian, thanks. I'm just thinking about where I'd put my hexblade in my party comp—if I had one. I'm not seething or coping, honest. In all truth, I'm not convinced this state of affairs will last too long—it might, however, be a solid hint that Patch 8 is soaring through the pipeline and may very well be in our laps soon. Alternatively, PS5 players are presently downloading a glitchy, horrifying mess. Either way, I'll update this article when Larian's done putting out its fires and has an explanation. Baldur's Gate 3 romance: Who to pursueBaldur's Gate 3 multiplayer: How co-op worksBaldur's Gate 3 endings: For better or worseBaldur's Gate 3 multiclass builds: Coolest combosBest RPGs: The greatest you can play now
