Panera settles Charged Lemonade wrongful death suit
Two years after an Ivy League student’s death put the spotlight on a caffeinated beverage from Panera Bread, her family has settled with the restaurant chain. The family of Sarah Katz, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student at the time of her death, reached a settlement Monday, Oct. 7, just days before the case was headed for trial.
The family’s lawyer, Elizabeth Crawford with the law firm Kline and Specter, told Straight Arrow News “the matter has been resolved.” Crawford added she could not comment any further.
According to the wrongful death lawsuit filed in Philadelphia last year, Katz avoided energy drinks because of a heart condition, but ordered Panera’s Charged Lemonade not knowing its high levels of caffeine.
The suit claimed the drink was not properly labeled, described at the time as a “plant-based” option. Katz went into cardiac arrest at the restaurant and later died at the hospital.
A large cup of the beverage contained about 390 milligrams of caffeine, and FDA said a safe quantity of caffeine for healthy adults is typically around 400 milligrams a day.
The family of 46-year-old Dennis Brown of Florida, who lived with a chromosomal deficiency disorder and high blood pressure, sued Panera after he drank the Charged Lemonade and suffered cardiac arrest on his walk home. He died at the scene.
In response, Panera responded the suits had no merit. However, the company would later make changes by adding warnings to the drink’s online description: “Contains caffeine. Use in moderation. Not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women.”
Like Katz, the firm of Kline and Specter also represents Brown and two other plaintiffs who had no underlying health conditions but claim Panera’s Charged Lemonade caused heart injuries.
Straight Arrow News has reached out to Panera for a comment on the settlement.
Bacterial infection, not foul play, likely killed Russian ‘spy whale’
A mystery surrounding the beluga whale that captured global attention with rumors of espionage has finally been resolved. Known as “Hvaldimir,” the 14-foot-long 2,000 pound whale was found dead in August in a southern Norwegian bay.
Animal rights groups quickly claimed that the beluga had been shot. But now, Norwegian police are releasing new information, seeking to tell what really happened.
According to authorities, a final autopsy by Norway’s Veterinary Institute has concluded that the probable cause of death for the whale was actually a bacterial infection. They go on to say that it was likely caused by a wound in the whale’s mouth from a stick that was lodged there.
Officials emphasized there was no evidence to suggest that the whale had been shot. The autopsy was complicated by the fact that many of its organs were heavily decomposed, but both forensic technicians and the institute ruled out gunshot wounds.
Gaining international attention after it was first spotted off Norway’s coast in 2019, the whale was spotted wearing a harness believed to be of Russian origin. This led to speculation that it might have been part of a Russian spy program.
His tame nature and the harness labeled “equipment St. Petersburg,” sparked intrigue, but experts believe his death was purely accidental.
Haitian gang massacre kills at least 70 people including 3 infants
A Haitian gang massacre killed at least 70 people including three infants and 10 women, and injured at least 16 others on Thursday, Oct. 3. The United Nations said members of the Gran Grif Gang raided a farming community north of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and opened fire on its residents.
U.N. officials reported that the gang members set fires to dozens of houses and vehicles as people ran for safety. The rampage eventually ended in a gunfight with police as two gang members were injured and as people fled the town toward a coastal city.
The leader of the Gran Grif gang claimed the killings were retribution for residents remaining passive while his soldiers were killed by police or vigilantes. Another gang leader said the attack is part of a plan to stop the town from supplying food to the country.
The community is a major rice producer in a nation facing a growing hunger crisis. Some of the main roads in Haiti go through the town and it’s been a source of revenue for gangs, who are reportedly responsible for a rash of kidnappings and ambushes along the roads. From 2022 to 2023, crime data shows the area has seen nearly 1,700 people killed, injured or kidnapped by gangs.
The outbreak of violence puts more strain on a recommitted, yet limited Kenyan-led International Security Force approved by the U.N. meant to quell gang activity in the country. Officers from the force were reportedly deployed to the farming community. However, the force’s mission is based in Haiti’s capital and does not have a permanent presence in rural areas.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Haitians have reportedly fled their homes over the past three years as gang violence has spiked.
Marijuana addiction, other side effects rising with legalization and higher usage
As marijuana becomes legal in more parts of the United States, be it medicinal or recreational, more people are using it. That also means more people are experiencing its unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects.
A recent data analysis done for The New York Times found that nearly a third of all users – about 18 million people – have reported symptoms of cannabis use disorder, and about 3 million of them would be considered addicted to cannabis.
Symptoms of cannabis use disorder include impaired control, cannabis use becoming a high priority – even if it causes issues in your school, work, or personal life or leads to riskier behavior, and physiological dependence – needing more cannabis to get the same high or showing symptoms of withdrawal. These are all symptoms commonly associated with addiction, as well.
The Columbia University epidemiologist who did the analysis for the Times based her research on responses to the 2022 national drug use survey conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services.
The researcher found cannabis use was especially common among 18- to 25-year-olds surveyed, with 4.5 million reporting they use it daily or almost daily. Furthermore, 81% of them met the criteria for cannabis use disorder.
Doctors say they’ve seen a sharp rise in something called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). It’s a condition brought on by heavy cannabis use that causes users to experience nausea, vomiting and pain and can lead to extreme dehydration, seizures, kidney failure and cardiac arrest.
In rare and extreme cases, CHS has been deadly. The Times said it found CHS could be linked to at least eight deaths in the U.S. since the condition was first documented in 2004 – including some cases that were not previously known about before the Times commissioned this study.
CHS is not consistently documented, but researchers estimate up to a third of near-daily cannabis users in the U.S. experience mild to severe symptoms of it.
Another side effect of marijuana that’s not often warned about but is becoming more common is temporary psychosis. It’s also being increasingly linked to people developing chronic psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia.
While some form of marijuana use is legal in fewer than half of states, it remains illegal under federal law. With that, its effects have not been widely studied, and laws surrounding marijuana use are not consistent.
Helene may cause thousands of deaths over the decades: Study
As the death toll from Hurricane Helene continues to climb, a new study adds an unsettling perspective about the impacts of the storm, which are likely to last well beyond what some may think. The study, published Wednesday, Oct. 2, said hurricanes and tropical storms are much deadlier than their associated death tolls suggest.
That’s because of the indirect causes these storms can set into motion that aren’t realized until years after the event. Researchers with the University of California Berkeley found an average tropical cyclone in the U.S. indirectly causes up to 11,000 more deaths than reported in the storm’s final toll.
They said since 1930, tropical storms have contributed to as many as 5.2 million deaths in the U.S. Researchers also estimate 1 in 4 infant deaths are somehow related to tropical cyclones, as are 15% of deaths among people aged 1 to 44 years old.
They say tropical cyclones create a broader health issue than previously thought because they often stir up other threats to certain populations – like babies and the immunocompromised.
The study found these excess deaths were mostly due to causes like diabetes, suicide, sudden infant death syndrome or another cause that was not recorded. However, they found cardiovascular disease was the next most common cause linked to the lasting impacts of storms, followed by cancer.
This is the first time researchers have looked at storm-related deaths over such a long period of time. Their study accounted for 501 events from 1930 to 2015. Researchers say over that 85-year span, tropical storms killed more people than car crashes and infectious diseases.
The study’s authors say the numbers were so staggering, they spent years making sure their findings were correct.
The study also found Black people were three times more likely to die after a hurricane than white people. Researchers said their findings validate concerns many Black Americans have been voicing for decades about unequal treatment they face and the circumstances they experience after natural disasters.
New details in special counsel’s 2020 election case against Trump
We’re getting our most in-depth look so far at Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into former President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. And there’s new skin in the game in the battle over who actually caught Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024.
New details in special counsel’s 2020 election case against Trump
The new filing, revealed Wednesday, Oct. 2, also claims Trump was “fundamentally” acting as a private candidate and not the President of the United States when he sought to overturn his loss.
The latest court filing comes in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling this past summer that said Trump had immunity for official actions taken while still in office. The filing also alleges the former president knew his claims about the 2020 election being stolen were lies, but he spread them anyways as a ploy to stay in power.
It also includes evidence of Trump’s phone usage during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 — when, it claims, the former president was scrolling Twitter. The filing also claims Trump pressured then-Vice President Mike Pence to reject Electoral College votes.
“This was a weaponization of government and that’s why it was released 30 days before the election,” he said. “And it’s nothing new in there, by the way, nothing new. They rigged the election. I didn’t rig the election. They rigged the election.”
The new filing was unsealed just 33 days before the election coming up on Nov. 5.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges, accusing him of a conspiracy to obstruct the congressional certification of the election, attempting to defraud the U.S. out of accurate results and interfering with Americans’ voting rights.
At least 6 killed in Israeli strike on central Beirut
It comes after Israeli forces suffered their deadliest day on the Lebanese front since clashes with the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah started almost a year ago. At least seven Israeli soldiers died in Israel’s recent offensive.
Lebanese health officials say in addition to those killed, at least seven more people were wounded in what Israel says was a precise strike on Lebanon’s capitol, which happened not far from the Lebanese prime minister’s office.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army says it downed at least two drones and more than two dozen rockets fired from Lebanon Thursday.
FEMA warns of funding shortages for Hurricane Helene relief efforts
The death toll from Hurricane Helene has risen to at least 191 across six states, making it the second-deadliest U.S. Hurricane in the past 50 years, behind Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The storm hit Florida last week before sweeping through the southeast, causing widespread flooding and devastation, especially in North Carolina, where at least 95 people have died.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing critical supplies like meals, water, and generators, but Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has warned FEMA lacks sufficient funding to sustain relief efforts throughout the entire hurricane season. He stressed the need for additional funding, noting FEMA is meeting immediate needs but might not have the resources to continue if another storm hits.
Hurricane season runs from June through November, with most storms occurring in September and October.
Congress recently replenished $20 billion for FEMA’s disaster relief fund, but lawmakers may need to reconvene before the election to approve more money if necessary.
Since Helene hit, more than 150,000 households have registered for FEMA assistance and that number is expected to grow as damage assessments continue.
Prosecutors ask for indefinite delay in would-be Trump assassin’s trial
Federal prosecutors have asked for an indefinite delay in scheduling the trial for the man charged in an apparent assassination attempt on former President Trump. They say they’ve collected a “massive” amount of evidence since the Secret Service, with the help of local police in Florida, arrested Ryan Routh last month after authorities say an agent spotted him with a gun outside the Mar-a-Lago golf course where the former president was playing.
Prosecutors have asked the judge in the case to officially designate the case as “complex,” saying they’ve interviewed hundreds of witnesses across various states and have thousands of videos to review from electronic devices they’ve seized. They also say more than 100 outstanding subpoena returns are still pending.
According to the filing, Routh’s defense attorneys did not oppose the prosecutors’ request to delay the trial date. Routh’s lawyers have entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, on the attempted assassination charges.
ATF says broken power line caused deadly Maui wildfire
We now know what caused the massive and deadly wildfire in Maui, Hawaii that claimed 102 lives and caused more than $5 billion in damage. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives has classified the fire as accidental, saying it started when a re-energized broken power line sparked, igniting the fire in an unmaintained vegetation area.
ATF also ruled out the possibility there had been two separate fires saying definitively, “This, in fact, was one fire.”
More than 100 people died and flames destroyed much of the historic city of Lahaina. The fire also sparked other investigations centered on police response and the response from state and Maui county agencies.
Second fan files lawsuit over Ohtani’s historic home run ball
The battle over Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball has intensified. A second fan filed a lawsuit claiming ownership of the valuable souvenir.
The ball, hit during Ohtani’s historic Sept. 19 game for the L.A. Dodgers against the Miami Marlins, has reached about $1.5 million in auction bids.
Joseph Davidov, who filed the latest lawsuit in Florida, claims he had possession of the ball before another fan jumped on him, causing it to roll into the hands of Chris Belanski, who later auctioned it. Davidov is seeking more than $50,000 in damages.
This follows 18-year-old Max Matus’ earlier lawsuit, alleging Belanski forcibly took the ball from him during a scramble in the stands. Both fans are pursuing rightful ownership of the ball, which celebrates Ohtani’s achievement as the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.
The ongoing legal disputes have delayed the auction, with a court hearing scheduled for Oct. 10. The ball’s rising value has garnered widespread attention, rivaling the $1.5 million sale of Aaron Judge’s American League record-breaking 62nd home run ball in 2022.
Cytisine has been available in countries like Canada and the U.K. for years and is known to be more effective than nicotine patches and gum. It also causes fewer side effects than varenicline, a commonly used smoking cessation drug.
According to a recent study, if cytisine were available in the U.S., it could help around 71,000 people quit smoking in just one year, potentially adding over 500,000 life-years by reducing smoking-related deaths.
The delay could reduce these gains by 10,000 life-years annually.
Cytisine works by targeting nicotine receptors in the brain, reducing cravings and the satisfaction from smoking. It’s been shown to be more effective than current nicotine replacement therapies and has milder withdrawal symptoms than varenicline.
Research from the University of Oxford supports cytisine’s potential to help smokers quit, and ongoing clinical trials in the U.S. have shown positive early results. Despite the promising data, the FDA’s demand for further safety information has pushed back the drug’s approval.
Public health experts emphasize the need for timely approval, given the high relapse rates among smokers and the limitations of existing treatments. Delays, they argue, could result in significant public health setbacks.
Breast cancer deaths down in the US, but diagnoses up
While breast cancer deaths are continuously becoming fewer in the United States, breast cancer diagnoses are becoming more common – especially among younger women. That’s according to a new report from the American Cancer Society.
The new report shows between 1989 and 2022, the United States’ overall breast cancer death rate dropped 44%. That equates to more than 500,000 fewer people dying from the disease.
However, instances of breast cancer diagnoses climbed 1% each year between 2012 and 2021. The study also found a slightly higher increase in cases among women younger than 50 than those 50 and older.
A separate study recently showed breast cancer rates among women 20 to 49 years old have risen over the past two decades.
The new report also found that despite being 5% less likely to get breast cancer than white women, Black women had a 38% higher death rate from it, and the highest breast cancer mortality rate of any race.
The American Cancer Society predicts this year, 1 in 8 U.S. women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. That’s about 311,000 people. The Cancer Society also predicts about 42,000 of them will likely die from the disease.
There are some ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer, like maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active and not drinking alcohol often – or at all. Some people who are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer can also take certain medications to help prevent it.
Vance, Walz defend their running mates’ records in vice presidential debate
We have a recap of the first, and likely only, vice presidential debate of 2024. And Iran has launched its largest attack ever on Israel. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024.
Vance, Walz defend their running mates’ records in vice presidential debate
For the first time, the two vice presidential candidates took the stage next to one another Tuesday night, Oct. 1. Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz introduced themselves to American voters while defending their running mates’ opposing views.
Vance and Walz kept the vice presidential debate cordial, at various times saying they agreed with the other, but they sparred on the policies and the statements made by their parties’ presidential nominees, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Look if you’re going to be president, you don’t have all the answers. Donald Trump believes he does. My pro tip of the day is this, if you need heart surgery, listen to the people at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, not Donald Trump,” Walz said.
“I honestly, Tim, I think you got a tough job here because you’ve got to play whack-a-mole; you’ve got to pretend that Donald Trump didn’t deliver rising take-home pay, which of course he did; you’ve got to pretend that Donald Trump didn’t deliver lower inflation, which of course he did; and then you simultaneously got to defend Kamala Harris’ atrocious economic record,” Vance said.
The debate covered many topics including abortion, climate change, the economy and health care. The two opened the 90-minute CBS News debate discussing the conflict in the Middle East and the need for stability in the White House.
“I’m 40 years old, when was the last time that an American president didn’t have a major conflict break out? The only answer is during the four years that Donald Trump was president,” Vance said.
“So Iran is closer to a nuclear weapon than they were before because of Donald Trump’s fickle leadership. And when Iran shot down an American aircraft in international airspace, Donald Trump tweeted because that’s the standard diplomacy of Donald Trump,” Walz said.
On illegal immigration, Vance and Walz disagreed on whether former President Trump’s involvement helps or hurts solving the border crisis.
“But as soon as I was getting ready to pass [legislation] and actually tackle this, Donald Trump said no, told them to vote against it because it gives him a campaign issue,” Walz said.
“We have a historic immigration crisis because Kamala Harris started and said that she wanted to undo all of Donald Trump’s border policies — 94 executive orders, suspending deportations, decriminalizing illegal aliens, massively increasing the asylum fraud that exists in our system. That has opened the floodgates,” Vance said.
When the debate turned to gun violence, the two VP contenders shared a moment, highlighting the human aspect and often the aftermath.
“I think all the parents watching tonight, this is just your biggest nightmare. Look, I got a 17-year-old and he witnessed a shooting at a community center playing volleyball, those things don’t leave you,” Walz said.
When it was his turn to speak, Vance responded, “Tim, first of all, I didn’t know that your 17-year-old witnessed a shooting and I’m sorry about that and I hope he’s doing OK. Christ have mercy, it is it is awful.”
Things, however, turned contentious over the 2020 election and Jan. 6.
“[January 6, 2021] was a threat to our democracy in a way that we had not seen, and it manifested itself because of Donald Trump’s inability to say — he is still saying, he didn’t lose the election,” Walz said.
Vance replied, “Tim, I’m focused on the future. Did Kamala Harris censor Americans from speaking their mind in the wake of the 2020 COVID situation?”
“That is a damning non-answer,” Walz said.
Both candidates thanked each other for the debate and the viewers at home, who will make their decision at the polls on Election Day, Nov. 5, in just 34 days.
Trump backs out of ’60 Minutes’ election special; Harris interview to still air
CBS News says former President Trump has backed out an upcoming interview with “60 Minutes.”
For decades, “60 Minutes” has broadcast election specials with the candidates. CBS reported both Trump and Vice President Harris had agreed to take part in this year’s special in separate one-on-one interviews, but Trump has since reportedly changed his mind.
In a press conference last night, Trump said his decision was based on his last interview with CBS anchor Lesley Stahl in 2020 — which he walked out of early.
“They came to me and would like me to do an interview, but first, I want to get an apology because the last time I did an interview with them, if you remember, they challenged me on the computer,” Trump said. “They said the laptop from hell was from Russia. And I said, ‘It wasn’t from Russia, it was from Hunter [Biden].’ And I never got an apology, so I’m sort of waiting. I’d love to do ’60 Minutes’, I do everything.”
In a statement of its own, “60 Minutes” said the special will still move forward.
“Our election special will broadcast the Harris interview on Monday as planned,” the statement read. “Our original invitation to former President Donald Trump to be interviewed on ’60 Minutes’ stands.”
The special is set to air Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. ET.
Iran launches largest-ever attack on Israel; Israel vows retaliation
Israel has vowed to retaliate after Iran launched its largest ever attack on Israel. Late Tuesday, Iran fired more than 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which seem to have been intercepted by the Israeli military with help from the United States and other allies.
So far, one person has been reported to have died in the attack, and the extent of the damage is not yet known.
Iran’s military chief also warned of broader strikes if Israel responds. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already vowed to do so, saying, “Iran made a big mistake and it will pay for it.”
Also Tuesday, just before Iran’s barrage began, at least six people were killed and a dozen more hurt when Israeli police say two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a train station in Tel Aviv. Police say the shooting was an act of terrorism and one of the gunmen was killed at the scene while the other was severely injured.
No specific group has claimed responsibility for that deadly attack.
Search and rescue efforts continue in North Carolina after Helene
Combs is already being held without bond at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have said he is innocent of all charges.
Louisiana governor supports bringing back live tiger mascot to LSU games
College sports are known for fierce competition. Now the governor of Louisiana is looking at making things even more ferocious by bringing back an old Louisiana State University football mainstay.
Officials from PETA are now speaking out against the idea, saying it would be cruel and dangerous for the animal.
These days, the current tiger mascot is on campus in an enclosure near the stadium, but the governor says returning the tiger to the field would be “an unbelievable opportunity.” LSU officials have not yet commented on whether there is a possibility of seeing a live tiger at football games once again.
Fat Bear Week postponed after fight between 2 bears ends in death
A fight to the death between two brown bears at Katmai National Park and Preserve on Monday, Sept. 30, caught on a popular livestream has led to the postponement of a planned announcement of competitors for the Fat Bear Week. Katmai National Park and Preserve officials say an adult male bear identified as 469 or “Patches,” killed a beloved female competitor known as 402.
Although park officials said that deadly incidents do happen between bears, this one was considered shocking enough to postpone the announcement.
“I think we’re at a little bit of a loss of words,” said Mike Fitz, an official at Katmai National Park and Preserve during a livestream recounting the death. “We were talking before the broadcast, but even right now, I thought maybe I could do this a little more eloquently, but yeah, this is really difficult to see.”
The struggle between the bears lasted roughly 20 minutes, and eventually, the female was killed, likely from drowning, according to park officials.
Monday’s deadly encounter is the second bear death caught on camera this year. In July, a bear cub was killed after it crossed paths with another competitor named “Chunk.” Chunk attacked the cub, which died days later from its wounds.
Following the latest death, competition organizers say they will reveal the tournament bracket on Tuesday, Oct. 1, during the evening hours, which can be watched here.
Fat Bear Week will take place as scheduled from Wednesday, Oct. 2, through Tuesday, Oct. 8.
The livestream can be viewed here. Warning: The video is graphic.