California
PFAS Ban Sees Tech Suit Shipments Halted In California and New York; No Suit Ban Imminent
The ban of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances in select U.S. states has resulted in a disruption of suit orders and shipments for swimmers and parents gearing up for championship season.
PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, are a group of man-made chemicals that don’t break down easily and are therefore harmful to the environment.
On January 1, 2025, California and New York officially banned textile articles and apparel containing PFAS, while Colorado began a phased approach, beginning with prohibiting PFAS in outdoor apparel for “severe wet conditions,” beginning with a PFAS disclosure requirement.
As a result of the bans, we’ve seen multiple reports of swimmers and parents in California and New York attempting to order tech suits, but being unable to do so due to “state-specific regulations,” specifically the presence of PFAS in the suit making them unable to be shipped.
Thus far, the suit brand parents and swimmers have reported the most issues with is TYR, while there’s also word of Mizuno suits having issues.
TYR has this disclaimer on its website if you attempt to order a suit with PFAS:
PFAS Regulation Notice: This product contains Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). The sale of products containing PFAS may be restricted or prohibited in certain states. Please note that orders for this product placed by residents of states where the sale of products containing PFAS is prohibited will be automatically canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Mizuno’s website includes this disclaimer for the Men’s GX-Sonic V Multi Racer:
*This product contains intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in amounts less than 100 ppm for water-repellent purposes. It is not available for sale or shipment to California or New York.
USA Swimming told SwimSwam that there are currently no rules relating specifically to PFAS, as their suit guidelines align with World Aquatics, which also has not implemented any restrictions as of yet.
However, USA Swimming said it is monitoring the situation, is in communication with suit manufacturers, and will address their Rules and Regulation Committee if necessary.
In January, an article in the Wall Street Journal outlined how top apparel brands such as L.L. Bean, Columbia and Patagonia have spent the last few years testing chemical alternatives to move away from PFAS.
PFAS RESTRICTIONS
California: 2022 – Assembly Bill 1817 (Ting, Philip), Product safety: textile articles: perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Prohibits, beginning January 1, 2025, any person from manufacturing, distributing, selling, or offering for sale in the State any new, not previously owned, textile articles that contain regulated PFAS, except as specified, and requires a manufacturer to use the least toxic alternative when removing regulated PFAS in textile articles to comply with these provisions. The bill requires a manufacturer of a textile article to provide persons that offer the product for sale or distribution in the State with a certificate of compliance stating that the textile article is in compliance with these provisions and does not contain any regulated PFAS.
New York: Senate Bill 1322 Assembly Bill 994
Effective January 1, 2025, New York Bill S1322/A994[3] prohibits the sale or offer for sale within the state of any new apparel containing intentionally added PFAS.
California
Suspected Northern California library shooter charged with murder, faces life in prison
OROVILLE — Bradley Scott Sayer was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and discharge of firearm with injury during his arraignment Thursday at the Butte County Superior Court.
Sayer, 18, is the suspect in the Chico library shooting on Monday in which two men were killed, and he could face life in prison. If convicted, Sayer is facing the highest penalty for capital murder with special circumstances, which would be life in prison without the possibility of parole. Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey, who is the prosecutor of the case, said the court is not seeking the death penalty.
Sayer was not given bail, as Ramsey said the court felt Sayer was “too dangerous.” Ramsey also said Sayer is on suicide watch in at the Butte County Jail.
“We felt that it would be too dangerous to let him go at this juncture,” Ramsey said. “He planned a mass shooting, and there’s no reason to believe that if he was let go, that he wouldn’t continue to do that.”
Sayer was staying at his father’s house, who was out of town, the day of the shooting, according to Ramsey. He then went to the closet in his father’s room and took two .22 caliber rifles and a 20-gauge shotgun, as well as several boxes of “No. 3 birdshot shells” before leaving for the library.
Sayer will appear in court next at 8:30 a.m. July 16 at the Butte County Superior Court, where he is expected to enter a plea. He is being represented by Roberto Marquez as retained counsel.
Autopsies
The Chico Police Department released a final update regarding the shooting case. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office completed the autopsies of both Jacob Cody Hull and Robert Johnson.
“The autopsies were completed; results indicate that both victims died as result of gunshot wounds. The wounds are consistent with a shotgun being used. The decedents will be turned over to their families who will be making funeral arrangements. The suspect remains in custody at the Butte County Jail being held in isolation,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said.
California
CA state senator physically, verbally harassed at pride parade for Israel stance | The Jerusalem Post
California State Senator Scott Wiener was harassed for his stance on Gaza during the San Francisco Trans March on Friday, to the point where it was no longer safe for him to remain, Wiener said.
A group of people were so “physically and verbally aggressive that it was impossible for me to safely remain in the park,” Wiener stated, adding that this was the first time he did not participate in the march.
Wiener was surrounded by people who made statements about his “Israeli handlers, among many other inaccurate, extreme, and vile statements,” Wiener said.
“We f***ing hate you. You stopped being queer the moment you started supporting Israel,” one person yelled in a video later shared on social media.
Wiener stated that while he has no objection to anyone disagreeing, opposing, or protesting him, the “harassment, including cornering me, touching me, or trying to physically bully me out of a public event, that crosses a line.”
“In San Francisco, we’re better than that,” he added.
Mayor Daniel Lurie made a statement on X/Twitter condemning the harassment, calling the language used “targeted, hateful, and antisemitic.”
In San Francisco, we welcome disagreement and respectful dialogue around issues many of us feel passionately about – but we cannot allow harassment and threats of violence,” Lurie wrote.
The California State Senate Democratic Caucus also released a statement on X, condemning the hate Wiener received.
“The harassment and violence shown from yesterday’s march in San Francisco towards Senator Scott Wiener is unacceptable and must be called out,” the statement read.
The caucus also pointed to Wiener’s work on legislation “advancing the rights and protections for Transgender, Gender Expansive and Intersex people.”
“The CA Senate Democratic Caucus and CA LGBTQ Caucus jointly denounce the verbal harassment and attacks he experienced,” the statement said.
California
At least 117 dead dogs found in search at California animal rescue accused of abuse, officials said
California authorities unearthed at least 117 dogs in “various states of decomposition” on Friday, many of which appeared to have been killed by gunshot, as part of an ongoing investigation into an animal rescue organization.
The bodies were discovered during a search of Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna, California, according to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. Officials had been granted a warrant that included excavation of the property for evidence that dogs had been buried in “mass graves.”
The 117 canine remains were those found mostly intact at two sites, the sheriff’s office said. Nearly two dozen skulls, “hundreds” of bones, and 600 dog collars were also recovered on the property.
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal thanked the law enforcement teams and forensic veterinarians who assisted in the recovery. In a statement, he noted that the investigation is “just getting started.”
“The determination all of these professionals showed while working through this horrific scene is something we will not forget,” Honsal said.
NBC News was not able to reach Shannon Miranda, the founder of Miranda’s Rescue, by phone on Sunday. She did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.
The sheriff’s office said in a news release last week that it had been contacted in April regarding allegations of fraud, animal abuse and animal cruelty at the rescue, and that the case had been assigned to the Major Crimes Division.
An initial search warrant was executed on May 1, at which time officials seized evidence related to the investigation. Investigators also determined that a “significant number” of animals surrendered to the rescue had not been accounted for.
A second search warrant, executed Thursday, led to the recovery of the canine remains.
Forensic veterinarians were able to examine 71 of the bodies on-site Thursday but did not have time to reach the remaining 46. A preliminary examination — including X-rays of the remains — found that “many of those animals showed evidence of bullet fragments.”
Investigators are working to identify dogs that were microchipped.
Other remains were found “in advanced stages of decomposition” and were deemed too severely deteriorated to be removed from their burial site, the sheriff’s office said.
This investigation is expected to be lengthy, the sheriff’s office cautioned in a statement to the public.
“The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office understands the public’s desire for accountability and justice,” it said. “However, it is our responsibility to conduct a complete, impartial, and legally sound investigation while ensuring that the constitutional and legal rights of everyone involved are protected throughout the process.”
No charges were announced.
Miranda was not available for comment, but posted a statement on June 18 addressing “recent media coverage and online commentary,” on the rescue’s website. The statement described two incidents that had “drawn particular attention” both involving animals that were killed at the facility.
The first involved a dog that killed another animal and attacked a third; the second involved a dog that lunged at a stroller carrying a baby, according to the statement.
“These were not decisions made lightly and were based on my responsibility to protect both the public and the animals in our care,” Miranda wrote.
The statement also described Miranda’s Rescue is a no-kill shelter, meaning animals are not euthanized simply to free up space, but acknowledged euthanasia is sometimes necessary.
“Whenever euthanasia has been necessary, I have notified local authorities in advance, even when told that reporting is not required,” Miranda wrote. “I believe it is important to maintain a clear record of these difficult decisions.”
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