Johns Hopkins Develops Guide to Enhance Gun Safety Laws, Aiming to Reduce Firearm-Related Injuries and Deaths

Baltimore, MD — A new guide developed by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions aims to aid lawmakers in drafting more effective firearm safe storage laws. Released by the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the “Safe Storage Model Policy Guide” presents a structured set of recommendations based on comprehensive public health research. The guide comes at a critical time as varying versions of safe storage laws are currently on the books in twenty-six states and Washington, D.C. These laws mandate how firearms should be securely stored to prevent access by children and unauthorized … Read more

Georgia Jury Awards $2.1 Billion to Man in Landmark Roundup Cancer Case

Atlanta, GA — In a landmark legal decision, a Georgia jury awarded nearly $2.1 billion to John Barnes, a plaintiff who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup weed killer for several decades. This verdict is one of the largest against the product to date and stands as the largest-ever single-plaintiff injury verdict in Georgia’s history. Bayer, the current owner of Monsanto, which produces Roundup, expressed its intention to challenge the jury’s decision. The company has faced several courtroom battles over Roundup, maintaining the product’s safety despite claiming it plans to appeal against the ruling based … Read more

Pepeekeo Man Pleads Not Guilty in Fatal 2022 Traffic Collision That Claimed a Life

HILO, Hawaii — A Pepeekeo man has entered a not guilty plea in connection with a 2022 traffic collision that resulted in the death of a 63-year-old woman. The defendant, 70-year-old Calvin Shimizu, was indicted by a Hilo grand jury on charges of first-degree negligent homicide following the incident that claimed the life of Joni Okino-Shiroma of Mountain View. The crash occurred on June 18, 2022, when authorities say Shimizu’s 2002 Dodge pickup crossed the centerline on Mamalahoa Highway and collided head-on with Okino-Shiroma’s 2007 Toyota Tacoma. The accident took place on the Waiaama Stream … Read more

Federal Court Halts Texas A&M’s Drag Show Ban, Upholding LGBTQ+ Free Speech Rights

Houston, Texas — A federal judge issued a temporary order preventing the Texas A&M University System from enforcing a ban on drag shows, a ruling celebrated by LGBTQ+ advocates and free speech proponents alike. The decision marks a substantial affirmation of expression rights for students within the campus. In February, the Texas A&M Board of Regents enacted a policy that outlawed drag performances at all university system campuses, citing these events as contrary to the institution’s core mission and claiming they could foster a hostile environment for women. The board further leveraged an argument based … Read more