BOSTON, Massachusetts, June 6 -- The Berkshire Bank issued the following news release: Berkshire Bank, a leading relationship-driven, community-focused bank with financial centers in New England and New York, is pleased to announce that Cathy Velez has joined the bank as managing director of Retail Banking and Deposit Operations. As a senior leader, Velez will oversee Berkshire's financial center network, retail sales and service delivery and branch operations. She will also direct the executi  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Insight white paper (No. IN12373) on June 4, 2024, by macroeconomic policy specialist Marc Labonte. Here are excerpts: * * * Regional Economic Performance Since the Pandemic The current economic expansion has been characterized by above-average employment growth, historically low unemployment, and economic growth comparable to the previous two expansions (but slower than earlier expansions). (For more information,   more

WASHINGTON, June 5 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R48082) on June 4, 2024, entitled "Livestock Forage Disaster Program: Drought and Wildfire Assistance" by agricultural policy analyst Christine Whitt. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Many producers raising livestock, such as beef or dairy cattle, depend on forage for grazing. Forage types include native and improved grasses, mixed forage, forage sorghum, and small grains (e.g., barley, millet,  more

LOWELL, Massachusetts, June 5 -- Middlesex Community College issued the following news release: From childhood, Megan Guros, of Andover, has lived with a disability and a diagnosis of a rare disease that brought a life expectancy of 15 years. Medical advancements helped her survive, improved her quality of life, and inspired a passion for the field of biotechnology, which she pursued at Middlesex Community College. Guros is one of two graduation speakers representing the class of 2024 at MCC's   more

CLINTON, Mississippi, June 6 -- Mississippi College issued the following news: Dozens of rehabilitation and counseling professionals throughout the Southeast will visit the Mississippi College campus on Friday, Aug. 9, to explore the latest developments within their ever-evolving industry. Sponsored by the Mississippi Chapter of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals and MC's Doctor of Professional Counseling Program, the daylong symposium, "Emerging Trends in Rehabilita  more

WASHINGTON, June 6 (TNSres) -- The National Academy of Medicine issued the following news on June 5, 2024: Today the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) announced the appointment of 19 Commissioners to serve on its Commission on Investment Imperatives for a Healthy Nation (the Commission). The Commission is charged with identifying transformative actions necessary to improve the performance of a health system that is unaffordable to many and falls short of the outcomes that should be achieved. T  more

WALTHAM, Massachusetts, June 6 -- The New England Journal of Medicine, a peer-reviewed medical journal from the Massachusetts Medical Society that says it delivers research and interactive clinical content to physicians, educators and the global medical community, published research articles on the following topics in its June 6, 2024, edition (Vol. 390, No. 11): Perspective: * Recognizing Historical Injustices in Medicine and the Journal: Malicious Midwives, Fruitful Vines, and Bearded Women   more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release on June 5, 2024: U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) highlighted the importance of protecting reproductive freedom at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing yesterday. Before the hearing, Senator Hassan and Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Tina Smith (D-MN) held a press conference on the issue as well. "By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court took away a fundamental freed  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Senate Judiciary Committee released the following testimony by Jocelyn Ulrich, vice president of policy and research at PhRMA, from a hearing dated May 21, 2024, entitled "Ensuring Affordable & Accessible Medications: Examining Competition in the Prescription Drug Market": * * * According to Harvard researchers, "the most insidious effect of 340B...is the incentive it gives clinics to prescribe high-cost medications, even when effective and far cheaper options exist."  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey issued the following news release: Ongoing research by health organizations has linked the low-level occurrence of natural lithium in drinking water to positive human-health outcomes such as reduced suicide mortality and other mental-health benefits in addition to potential negative outcomes such as autism and thyroid hormone levels. There are limited data, however, on where and at what concentrations lithium occ  more