Latest news with #domininopost.com
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Senate passes Holocaust education, pharmacist prescription bills
Mar. 26—dbeard @ MORGANTOWN — The state Senate on Wednesday passed a Holocaust education bill and a pharmacist prescription bill and sent them to the House of Delegates. SB 54 is the Holocaust bill. It says, "In collaboration with and utilizing guidance from the West Virginia Commission on Holocaust Education ... all public schools located within this state shall give age-appropriate instruction on the Holocaust, the systematic, planned annihilation of European Jews and other groups by Nazi Germany, a watershed event in the history of humanity, to be taught in a manner that leads to an investigation of human behavior, and an examination of what it means to be a responsible and respectful person." Lead sponsor Sen. Mike Oliverio, R-Monongalia, said that 25 years ago he met a Holocaust survivor (the late Edith Levy, of Morgantown) who was an advocate for helping West Virginians understand the Holocaust. They established the Commission on Holocaust Education and created a resource facility for teachers. This bill, he said, will require that valuable instruction so students will be able "to see the world in a different light going forward." Bill co-sponsor Sen. Jack Woodrum, R-Summers, said many in the Senate have had the privilege of meeting Holocaust survivors and soldiers who liberated the camps. But many younger people will nave have that opportunity. "This is important for us to be able to educate them about this atrocity so it never happens again, " he said. The vote was 34-0. SB 526 is the Pharmacist Prescribing Authority Act, "to authorize pharmacists to practice the full extent of their education and training to prescribe low-risk medications to patients." The bill allows pharmacists to prescribe drugs — except controlled substances — for conditions that do not require a new diagnosis, have a diagnostic test that is waived under federal guidelines as "simple laboratory examinations and procedures that have an insignificant risk of an erroneous result, " or are patient emergencies in the pharmacist's professional judgment. It allows the pharmacist to notify, within 72 hours, the patient's primary care physician of the test results and the drugs prescribed. It limits a prescription supply to 30 days and requires the pharmacist to notify the PCP if more than a 10-day supply is prescribed. The vote was 33-1, with Health chair Laura Chapman, R-Ohio, voting no.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
Case of former Hopemont Hospital nurse assistant accused in resident's scalding death goes to Preston County grand jury
Mar. 6—EDITOR'S NOTE — The Dominion Post reporter David Beard is not related to Kylah Beard, the defendant in this case. dbeard @ KINGWOOD — The case of a former Hopemont Hospital certified nursing assistant charged in the scalding death of a resident will head to Preston County Circuit Court. Magistrate Patricia Grimm found probable cause to put Kylah Beard's case before a grand jury following a Thursday preliminary hearing that ran about 90 minutes. She is charged with malicious neglect of an incapacitated adult causing death Hopemont resident Larry Hedrick was a nonverbal 61-year-old with dementia and other medical conditions who required total care. On the night of Jan. 4, 2024, he suffered severe burns in a whirlpool bath that led to his death at West Penn Burn Center on Jan. 12. Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Investigator Terry Keelin testified for the state. He said Hedrick had been a resident there since 2017, following an arrest that led to his being sent to Hopemont. Keelin didn't supply details of the alleged crime or the case. The investigation included footage from three camera in the hallway that ran between the nurse station and the tub room across the hall, he said. Beard took Hedrick into the tub room at 7:12 p.m., and came in and out of the room — leaving Hedrick alone — three times, for a few seconds each time. The camera footage did not make clear what Beard was doing, he said, but there was a cart in hall and she may have been getting something off of it. At about 7:20, Keelin said, Beard came out and spoke to another CNA who came into the tub room with her. Beard wanted her help adjusting the water temperature. For whatever reasons, she hadn't seen the temperature gauge. That CNA came out about eight minutes later. Beard came out again and contacted yet another CNA who came into the room with Beard. The CNA who first came in with Beard later testified that the gauge on the tub showed a water temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit. The water level was up to Hedrick's shins. Regulations prohibit a water temperature above 104 degrees. Keelin said the water was drained from the tub by the time the second CNA entered the room. Beard and two other CNAs took Hedric back to his room to treat his burns Questions for Keelin by Prosecuting Attorney Jay Shay brought mention of the other defendant in this incident, Registered Nurse Delilah Clyburn-Hill, into the narrative. Keeling said Clyburn-Hill told the CNAs to leave Hedrick in the tub. While not saying anything, Hedirick was indicating his pain by rubbing his legs and scraping his skin off. He did not receive any pain medication until two hours after he entered the tub room. Defense attorney Dayton Meadows brought to the stand former Hopemont buildings and grounds manager Dennis Reckhart to pursue a line of thought that faulty equipment played a role in the incident. Through a long series of questions, Reckhart explained that each hot water tank for the hospital has two thermostats, one for each tank element. The thermostats are made to close if the water temperatures exceeds 120 degrees. From the tanks, the water flows to a nearby mixing valve where it mixes with cold water and then circulates through the hospital's miles of pipes. The water typically runs about 118 degrees and cools as it flows, dropping from 102 to 111 degrees by the time it reaches a floor. They hadn't had any problems with thermostats for years, Reckhart said, but shortly before the incident one of his staff had talked with the supplier who recommended they keep a spare in stock because malfunctions are unpredictable. He ordered a replacement and gave it to the employee. Reckhart said he assumed the employee had replaced one of the thermostats, but also said they had no indication any of them were faulty until the night of the incident, when one on top of a tank failed and allowed excessively hot water into the pipes. Reckhart said he wasn't on duty that night but was called in afterward and stayed on site for 18 hours. He said that he was placed on leave during the investigation and was cleared of any wrongdoing, but was never put back on the work schedule. That forced him to give his notice and find another job. Meadows attempted to use the faulty thermostat as the reason for the 134 degree water entering the tub. But Shay noted Reckhart's testimony that the tub also has a mixing valve, similar to a home shower, that allows the person filling the tub to control the water temperature. Meadows said Beard's actions didn't rise to the level of criminal responsibility. She sought help when she realized the water was too hot and the situation was outside of her control. Shay said Beard left the room three times and failed in her duty of care. All she had to do was look at the tub's temperature gauge and turn the mixing valve knob. "To say it was out of her control is preposterous." Issuing her decision, Grimm told Beard that binding her case over to a grand jury was not a finding of guilt or innocence. She simply found probable cause for the grand jury to hear it. Beard and Clyburn-Hill face the same charges. Magistrate Bo Ward last month found probable cause to bound Clyburn-Hill's case over to a grand jury. They face fines of up to $5, 000 and 5-15 years in prison if convicted.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
Case of former Hopemont Hospital nurse assistant accused in resident's scalding death goes to Preston County grand jury
Mar. 6—EDITOR'S NOTE — The Dominion Post reporter David Beard is not related to Kylah Beard, the defendant in this case. dbeard @ KINGWOOD — The case of a former Hopemont Hospital certified nursing assistant charged in the scalding death of a resident will head to Preston County Circuit Court. Magistrate Patricia Grimm found probable cause to put Kylah Beard's case before a grand jury following a Thursday preliminary hearing that ran about 90 minutes. She is charged with malicious neglect of an incapacitated adult causing death Hopemont resident Larry Hedrick was a nonverbal 61-year-old with dementia and other medical conditions who required total care. On the night of Jan. 4, 2024, he suffered severe burns in a whirlpool bath that led to his death at West Penn Burn Center on Jan. 12. Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Investigator Terry Keelin testified for the state. He said Hedrick had been a resident there since 2017, following an arrest that led to his being sent to Hopemont. Keelin didn't supply details of the alleged crime or the case. The investigation included footage from three camera in the hallway that ran between the nurse station and the tub room across the hall, he said. Beard took Hedrick into the tub room at 7:12 p.m., and came in and out of the room — leaving Hedrick alone — three times, for a few seconds each time. The camera footage did not make clear what Beard was doing, he said, but there was a cart in hall and she may have been getting something off of it. At about 7:20, Keelin said, Beard came out and spoke to another CNA who came into the tub room with her. Beard wanted her help adjusting the water temperature. For whatever reasons, she hadn't seen the temperature gauge. That CNA came out about eight minutes later. Beard came out again and contacted yet another CNA who came into the room with Beard. The CNA who first came in with Beard later testified that the gauge on the tub showed a water temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit. The water level was up to Hedrick's shins. Regulations prohibit a water temperature above 104 degrees. Keelin said the water was drained from the tub by the time the second CNA entered the room. Beard and two other CNAs took Hedric back to his room to treat his burns Questions for Keelin by Prosecuting Attorney Jay Shay brought mention of the other defendant in this incident, Registered Nurse Delilah Clyburn-Hill, into the narrative. Keeling said Clyburn-Hill told the CNAs to leave Hedrick in the tub. While not saying anything, Hedirick was indicating his pain by rubbing his legs and scraping his skin off. He did not receive any pain medication until two hours after he entered the tub room. Defense attorney Dayton Meadows brought to the stand former Hopemont buildings and grounds manager Dennis Reckhart to pursue a line of thought that faulty equipment played a role in the incident. Through a long series of questions, Reckhart explained that each hot water tank for the hospital has two thermostats, one for each tank element. The thermostats are made to close if the water temperatures exceeds 120 degrees. From the tanks, the water flows to a nearby mixing valve where it mixes with cold water and then circulates through the hospital's miles of pipes. The water typically runs about 118 degrees and cools as it flows, dropping from 102 to 111 degrees by the time it reaches a floor. They hadn't had any problems with thermostats for years, Reckhart said, but shortly before the incident one of his staff had talked with the supplier who recommended they keep a spare in stock because malfunctions are unpredictable. He ordered a replacement and gave it to the employee. Reckhart said he assumed the employee had replaced one of the thermostats, but also said they had no indication any of them were faulty until the night of the incident, when one on top of a tank failed and allowed excessively hot water into the pipes. Reckhart said he wasn't on duty that night but was called in afterward and stayed on site for 18 hours. He said that he was placed on leave during the investigation and was cleared of any wrongdoing, but was never put back on the work schedule. That forced him to give his notice and find another job. Meadows attempted to use the faulty thermostat as the reason for the 134 degree water entering the tub. But Shay noted Reckhart's testimony that the tub also has a mixing valve, similar to a home shower, that allows the person filling the tub to control the water temperature. Meadows said Beard's actions didn't rise to the level of criminal responsibility. She sought help when she realized the water was too hot and the situation was outside of her control. Shay said Beard left the room three times and failed in her duty of care. All she had to do was look at the tub's temperature gauge and turn the mixing valve knob. "To say it was out of her control is preposterous." Issuing her decision, Grimm told Beard that binding her case over to a grand jury was not a finding of guilt or innocence. She simply found probable cause for the grand jury to hear it. Beard and Clyburn-Hill face the same charges. Magistrate Bo Ward last month found probable cause to bound Clyburn-Hill's case over to a grand jury. They face fines of up to $5, 000 and 5-15 years in prison if convicted.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
House passes bill to ban certain synthetic food dyes and preservatives
Feb. 28—dbeard @ MORGANTOWN — The House of Delegates overwhelmingly approved on Friday a bill to ban certain food preservatives and synthetic dyes. The vote to pass HB 2354 was 93-5. It will head to the Senate. As it happened, the version of the bill the delegates passed was amended on the House floor to match the senate version, SB 245, which advanced out of Senate Health on Thursday and will be on first reading on the Senate floor on Monday. The version of HB 2354 that came to the floor bans red dye 3, red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1, blue 2 and green 3 — because the dyes are linked to neurological and neurobehavioral impacts in children. The bill also bans butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and propylparaben, synthetic food preservatives. The bill sat idle for several days during talks with the Senate, and on Friday House Health chair Evan Worrell, R-Cabell brought his amendment to the floor that adopted the Senate version. It maintains the dye and preservative bans but makes the bans effective Jan. 1, 2027, to allow grocers and manufacturers time to adjust, and to coordinate with California legislation and federal mandates. The bill also includes a ban on the listed dyes in school nutrition programs effective Aug. 1 this year. There's an exception to the ban for school fundraisers. Delegate Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh, said, "I'm glad to see us tackling an issue like this. Ronald McDonald's killed far more people than the Marlboro Man ever met, all day long." Steele said the Japanese pay close attention to food additives. And while they pay a bit more and the foods might not stay as fresh as long, the children live longer healthier lives. The FDA has already ordered that red dye 3 must be removed from foods by 2027 and medications by 2028 because of its links to cancer. It's already banned in some European countries, Australia and New Zealand. Alternate versions of some of the American foods that contain the synthetic dyes are available in other countries with safer colorings, and in American stores such as Aldi. California has banned blue 1 and 2, green 3, red 40 and yellow 5 and 6 from schools because of concerns about behavior issues. Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania are looking at bans. Worrell said 23 state in total are looking at dye bans. Delegate Larry Kump, R-Berkeley, said, "West Virginia health is ranked in the dumpster. Our diets are a big part of the ranking. ... These food producers have not been held accountable for the liberties they have taken with our food and our people." Five Republicans voted against the bill. Following passage, the National Confectioners Association issued a statement opposing the bill. The NCA said, "This measure will make food more expensive for people in West Virginia. There is a role for state legislators and public health officials to play in the ongoing conversation about food additives, but — as we have been saying for years — FDA is the rightful national regulatory decision maker and leader in food safety. "Food safety is the number one priority for U.S. confectionery companies, " NCA said, "and we will continue to follow and comply with FDA's guidance and safety standards. Our consumers and everyone in the food industry want and expect a strong FDA, and a consistent, science-based national regulatory framework." That confidence in the FDA was not reflected in committee testimony in the Hose or Senate. Environmental health consultant Lisa Lefferts, who served on the 2011 FDA advisory board looking into synthetic dyes, told House Health that the FDA is not leading the way on phasing out the dyes. It conducts pre-market safety reviews based on animal studies 35-70 years old that aren't geared to contemporary health concerns. And while some bodies, such at the West Virginia Beverage Association, cite current FDA approval of the dyes as assurance of their safety, Lefferts said the FDA has not done a thorough evaluation of them in decades and has nothing on its agenda. "I don't think we can rely on the FDA."
