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A Sneak Peek into Shirley Wantland’s Journey From an Immigrant Child to the Co-founder of Recovery Consultants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

There is a persistent stigma around mental health, addiction and recovery in society. Even though we have made progress in this area, there is still a long way to go. All over the world, many mental health practitioners and counselors are working religiously to reduce prejudice against mental illness and substance abuse. One such person is Shirley Wantland, the co-founder and principal of Recovery Consultants, aiming  to provide empathetic and non-judgmental treatments to such individuals and creating  a safe healing space for them.Belonging to a Vietnamese immigrant family in Oklahoma City, Shirley struggled to fit in during her childhood and adolescence. Her parents worked day and night to put food on the table for her and her brother. The Wantland’s financial burdens were to this  extent that they couldn’t afford to send the kids to school. However, Shirley’s father viewed hard work and education to thrive later in life.  So, he asked the Headmaster of the school where he w...

Meet The Woman Behind Qeblawi Cosmetics: Diana Qeblawi On Breaking Barriers And Making History In The Beauty & Fashion Industry

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

The beauty and cosmetics industry has experienced a boom in recent years with the rise of social media influencers and beauty vloggers. The pandemic has further fueled this trend, as more people turned to online shopping and experimenting with makeup and skincare products while stuck at home. This resulted in the market becoming saturated with numerous types of cosmetics and makeup products, making it more critical than ever for brands to stand out and differentiate themselves.One brand that has been making waves in the industry is Qeblawi Cosmetics. Focusing on inclusivity and quality, it offers a range of makeup products catering to different skin tones and types. Diana’s passion for the beauty and fashion industry and her business savvy have propelled Qeblawi Cosmetics to become one of the up-and-coming brands to watch out for. In a recent interview, Diana Qeblawi shared her journey of breaking barriers and making history in the beauty and fashion industry.Can you tell us a...

Double Blind Study Reveals Los Angeles-Based, EZC Pak’s, as an Effective Alternative to Antibiotics for Treating Upper Respiratory Infections

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

A groundbreaking double-blind study announced on May 3rd by Los Angeles-based EZC Pak has uncovered a promising alternative to antibiotics for treating upper respiratory infections (URIs). This NIH-registered clinical trial spanned nine months, enrolling 360 patients from across the United States. Findings reveal that participants who took EZC Pak’s immune support pack recovered 1.39 days faster (p=0.017), experienced a 17.43% reduction in symptom severity (p=0.029), and had 2.9 times greater patient satisfaction (p=0.012) compared to those taking a placebo.These results substantiate EZC Pak‘s immune support formula and five-day tapered system as an effective, evidence-based solution to antibiotic misuse in managing colds, flus, and other URIs. This is especially significant given the urgent global public health threat posed by antibiotic resistance, which the CDC estimates to be associated with 1.27 million deaths each year.The vast majority of URIs, approximately 80%, ...

Several Hurt in Semi-Truck Crash on Highway 101 [Salinas, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

Semi-Truck Overturned near John Street Left Lanes BlockedSALINAS, CA (May 9, 2023) – Saturday morning, a semi-truck crash on Highway 101 left several several people hurt and lanes blocked.The incident occurred on April 15th, at around 10:30 a.m., in the northbound lanes of the Highway near John Street.According to reports, a semi-truck overturned on the highway which resulted in minor injuries. At this time, the total number of injuries from the crash remains unclear.Furthermore, officials blocked the lanes on the highway and diverted traffic at Airport Boulevard.Meanwhile, crews reopened the lanes at around 6:00 p.m. Authorities have not yet stated what caused the semi-truck crash on Highway 101.Simply by driving defensively and following the conditions of the road, you can prevent a reckless driving accident. Do not engage in any non-driving activity which creates a potential distraction. Follow the speed limit and do not be pressured to keep up with the speed of other vehic...

SFO becomes first US airport to formally launch airplane wastewater testing for emerging COVID variants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

San Francisco International Airport has launched a program with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to test wastewater from airplanes for traces of emerging coronavirus variants. Traces of the virus that causes Covid-19 can be detected in people’s feces when they are infected, even if they don’t have symptoms.The airport announced Tuesday that the CDC’s partner Concentric by Ginkgo, the biosecurity and public health unit of Boston-based synthetic biology company Ginkgo Bioworks, has installed an automatic device that will regularly collect wastewater samples from various international flights arriving at SFO. Those combined samples of wastewater then will be sent to laboratories for testing.“As we know from the COVID-19 pandemic, pathogens can spread quickly across the globe, impacting travel and trade,” Dr. Cindy Friedman, chief of the CDC’s Travelers’ Health Branch, said in a news release Tuesday. “Testing of airplane wastewater can provide early detection of new COV...

Mom who wrote kids’ book about death is charged with husband’s murder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

A young Utah mother who wrote a children’s book about grief after her husband died last year has been accused of his murder.Kouri Darden Richins, 33, faces charges of aggravated murder and multiple drug offenses, say documents filed Monday by prosecutors in Summit County and unsealed after her arrest that day.Her husband, Eric Richins, was found dead at the family’s Francis home on March 4, 2022, at the age of 39. The autopsy found five times the lethal level of fentanyl in his system, the documents say.According to prosecutors, Kouri Richins had obtained strong painkillers from an acquaintance — initially hydrocodone and then fentanyl, after she requested “the Michael Jackson stuff,” the dealer reportedly told investigators.The Amazon listing of the children’s book Kouri Richins wrote. (Image from Amazon) Barely two weeks before his death, when he became sick after a Valentine’s Day dinner, Richins told a friend he thought his wife was...

Brentwood police release video confirming hostage was struck by officer’s bullet during shootout with kidnapping suspect

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

Brentwood police have released a video showing a city police officer shooting at a man who’d already fired a pistol at two other officers, and authorities now acknowledge that both the suspect and the woman he was holding hostage were struck by the officer’s gunfire.The video of the March 12 incident, released in an edited form Tuesday, shows Brentwood police Officer Jordan Sares firing at 30-year-old Joshua Dion Smith while running toward Smith, as he stands in a dimly lit entrance to an apartment on Sycamore Avenue in Brentwood. The video shows Smith was using the woman as a human shield as he fired at two officers moments before Sares came face to face with him and fired one round in their direction.The bullet fired by Sares hit a staircase handrail and broke up into smaller pieces, which struck both Smith and the woman. Afterward, the two fell to the ground, causing Smith to drop the gun. Officer then rushed in to arrest him.None of the officers were struck by gunfir...

Biden, congressional leaders meet to avert US default

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

By Zeke Miller, Seung Min Kim, Josh Boak and Lisa Mascaro | Associated PressWASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and congressional leaders are holding their first in-person meeting Tuesday to try to avert an unprecedented U.S. government default.The president welcomed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the Oval Office. Their initial challenge on Tuesday is to agree on what exactly they’re talking about as they hold their first substantive meeting in months.With the government at risk of being unable to meet its obligations as soon as June 1, raising the specter of economic chaos, Republicans are coming to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default.Biden, on the other hand, is set to reinforce his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostageR...

Kurtenbach: Does the Warriors’ star trio have another magical playoff run to make?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The partnership of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green transformed the Warriors’ organization and the league.But now they’re facing something even more powerful than their NBA rivals:Their own basketball mortality.The Warriors rode those Hall of Famers to incredible heights. But one more loss could bring a giant fall.So do the Warriors’ Big Three – each pulling his own weight – have one more incredible run in them?Nothing less than that will do now that they’re down 3-1 to the Lakers.This is a new feeling for the Warriors, who have not lost a Western Conference playoff series since 2014 and are undefeated in the conference playoffs under coach Steve Kerr.They know how to beat LA. They just can’t seem to do it.Aging is ruthless.And yet, the Warriors’ problems are more complicated than that. There have been stretches in this series where the Dubs’ quality is undeniable. They won Game 2 by 27 points.But those bursts havenR...

As drought grips Spain, dozens arrested for illegal wells

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:00 GMT

By Al Goodman | CNNSpanish police have arrested 26 people in recent months for an alleged scheme to use water from illegal wells to grow subtropical fruit, as the country grapples with damaging heat and drought.A Spanish Civil Guard statement said a four-year investigation had uncovered 250 illegal wells and ponds in the in a drought-stricken area Axarquia district east of Malaga, along the Mediterranean coast.In addition to the dozens arrested, 44 people are under investigation in the alleged scheme, which is estimated to have caused nearly $11 million in damages.The southern Andalusia regional government has strict water use restrictions for the area, which has been gripped by “a prolonged and exceptional drought” since June 2021.More recently, key food producing regions of southern Spain, near Seville and Corboda, and in northeastern Spain near Barcelona, have seen low rainfall and high temperatures combine to diminish many local water reservoirs, the Spanish central ...