San Francisco Chronicle: No ‘Skittles Ban’ In California — But Peeps Might Be In For A Shake-Up
California is not banning Skittles, despite some false viral social media claims that the colorful candy could soon disappear off store shelves. However, the state has become the first to pass legislation prohibiting certain chemical additives in popular candies and beverages. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 418 into law last week, barring the manufacture and sale of food items containing brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3. (Vaziri, 10/11)

San Diego Union-Tribune: Newsom Says Tijuana Sewage Crisis Is A Federal Issue. Coastal Commission Will Look To Biden For A Declaration
Gov. Gavin Newsom says the sewage crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border does not qualify as an emergency under state statute and that is why he has not issued a declaration. So members of the California Coastal Commission, following a visit Wednesday to the South Bay area affected by the ongoing toxic pollution, agreed to consider asking President Joe Biden to proclaim one. (Murga, 10/11)

Sacramento Bee: California Large-Capacity Gun Magazine Ban Remains In Effect
Despite a federal judge’s ruling overturning California’s ban on large-capacity firearm magazines for a second time, the law remains in effect after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — which oversees federal cases from California — issued a stay on the judge’s order pending further legal proceedings. With that decision, gun magazines with more than 10 rounds remain illegal to purchase, sell or transfer in California. (Sheeler, 10/11)

Voice of San Diego: AG Fears Homeless Enforcement ‘Pendulum Swing’
State Attorney General Rob Bonta fears the U.S. Supreme Court could pave the way for more draconian crackdowns on homeless residents if it takes on controversial lower court opinions now reining in homelessness enforcement.  (Halverstadt, 10/11)

Sacramento Bee: Section 8 Vouchers Not Meeting Sacramento Housing Needs
The first time Kristi Phillips applied for a Sacramento Section 8 housing voucher, she was pregnant with her son Ty. Now, Ty is 14. She’s still on the waiting list. The family, which also includes two young daughters, has for years been living in hotel rooms, vehicles, and most recently a friend’s apartment. Last month they received an eviction notice. (Clift and Brassil, 10/12)

Sacramento Bee: California: Gavin Newsom’s Tiny Homes Are Delayed
Seven months after Gov. Gavin Newsom promised that by the fall California would purchase and deliver 1,200 tiny homes to cities across the state, including 350 to Sacramento, officials have not selected a builder nor awarded any contracts. All 1,200 homes will likely not be delivered and ready to house people until early to mid-2024. That will be roughly a year after the governor, touting the state’s investment, acknowledged that “people are dying on our watch.” (Angst, 10/11)

Becker's Hospital Review: Mount Sinai, UC San Diego Receive $8.5M For Data Hub
Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the University of California San Diego were awarded $8.5 million to create a data integration hub. The data hub, dubbed the Data Research Center, will work on accelerating novel therapeutics and cures for diseases within initiatives supported by the National Institutes of Health Common Fund, according to an Oct. 11 news release from Mount Sinai, based in New York City. (Diaz, 10/11)

Becker's Hospital Review: How Instacart Is Delivering The Next Healthcare Disruption
Grocery delivery company Instacart is expanding its number of partnerships with hospitals and health systems to incorporate medical expertise and benefits into their services, aiming to enhance patient access to nutritious food and promote a healthy lifestyle. Instacart launched its Instacart Health initiative in September 2022 and has since partnered with Boston Children's Hospital; Orange, Calif.-based Alignment Healthcare; Mount Sinai Solutions; and Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente.  (Talaga, 10/11)

Reuters: GSK Settles Another California Lawsuit On Heartburn Drug Zantac
GSK on Wednesday said it agreed to settle another lawsuit in California alleging its discontinued heartburn drug Zantac caused cancer, as the British drugmaker sought to end costly litigation that has weighed on shares. The company, which has so far only settled cases in California, did not give the financial details of the settlement but said it was a "non-material" sum. (Mathews and Fick, 10/11)

Los Angeles Times: It’s Time To Get Your COVID Shot, CDC Director Says. Like, Now
A month after officially recommending that everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Mandy Cohen rolled up her sleeve Wednesday in Los Angeles for the latest shot. ... “October is the right time to get vaccinated,” Cohen said. “As we get into late fall and winter ... what we expect is to see more COVID circulation in November, December and January.” (Garcia, 10/11)

FiercePharma: Novavax Taps Breakout Star Of TV Show For COVID Vaccine Campaign
Novavax is throwing marketing muscle behind its bid to capture a piece of the fall COVID-19 booster vaccine market. ... Novavax has enlisted Nicole Ari Parker, a Black actor who The Washington Post called the breakout star of the "Sex and the City" sequel "And Just Like That …," to front the campaign. (Taylor, 10/10)

Axios: AI Tool Forecasts New COVID Variants
Harvard and University of Oxford researchers are harnessing AI to predict threatening new strains of COVID-19 and other viruses. The approach could prove more efficient than lab-based testing, because it doesn't rely on people becoming infected or getting vaccinated to develop antibodies. (Bettelheim, 10/12)

Vanity Fair: Operation Warp Speed: The Untold Story Of The COVID-19 Vaccine 
How an unlikely group of scientists, generals, and government officials supercharged the effort to get us back to some kind of normal. (Nocera and McLean, 10/12)

Military.com: Troops Suing Defense Department Over Vaccine Mandate Reach $1.8 Million Settlement 
The Defense Department has been ordered to pay $1.8 million in legal fees as settlement for two lawsuits that challenged its requirement that all U.S. troops be vaccinated against COVID-19. A Florida U.S. District Court judge awarded the money last week to the firm representing the plaintiffs, Liberty Counsel. The cases, one involving several Navy SEALs, were filed by a total of 48 service members -- the majority of whom were officers -- representing all branches of the armed forces and components. (Kime, 10/10)

Times of San Diego: Hospital Ship USNS Mercy Leaves San Diego On Humanitarian Mission To Western Pacific 
The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy departed Naval Base San Diego on Tuesday on a humanitarian mission to the western Pacific Ocean. The floating 1,000-bed hospital will take part in the 19th Pacific Partnership exercise and make stops in the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia. (Jennewein, 10/11)

CBS News: Newly Approved RSV Vaccine In High Demand, Causes Supply Shortage Problems
A big complication right now is the cost – at nearly $500 a dose. While the shot is expected to be covered by most insurance plans, providers need to order the shot before knowing how much they'll be reimbursed. That's created a lot of frustration. "We're angry. As pediatricians, we're angry because it feels like we have an opportunity that may be missed," Dr. Fitzpatrick said. This summer, the American Academy of Pediatrics urged federal leaders to provide support so the shots can be administered widely and equitably. (Stahl, 10/11)

CBS News: RSV Antibody Shot For Babies Hits Obstacles In Rollout: "As Pediatricians, We're Angry"
Dr. Lauren Fitzpatrick ... says pediatricians were optimistic the drug could help reduce cases after a record year in 2022. "We thought that this was groundbreaking, that this could be our game-changer, that we could potentially really reduce the risk of patients being admitted for RSV," she told CBS News. "I think there was our hopes, and then there was our reality," "There was not an infrastructure in place to roll out this vaccine, or monoclonal antibodies, so even though we have families that are requesting it, we can't meet their demands." (Brand and Moniuszko, 10/11)

Noticias Telemundo: Latinas Behind RSV, COVID Vaccines Aim To Boost Hispanic Rates
Latinas who had key roles in the development of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 vaccines are hopeful their work can contribute to improving vaccination rates among Hispanics. The big picture: Latinos in the U.S. have consistently low inoculation rates against the flu, polio, HPV or hepatitis, and are less likely than other racial or ethnic groups to be vaccinated against COVID-19, research shows. (Franco, 10/12)

Undark: For An RSV Vaccine: Trial, Error, And Two Young Lives
The new RSV vaccines are celebrated medical milestones. But what is owed to the families who unknowingly helped pave the way? (Schulson, 10/9)

CBS News: LA County Libraries To Offer Free Naloxone Clinics
Five Los Angeles County public libraries will host free naloxone clinics starting Wednesday at select locations made possible with a partnership with the County Department of Public Health and California Department of Health Care Services. The free clinics run through Nov. 9. The free doses of naloxone are available and do not require proof of identification, insurance or payment. Those receiving the doses need to complete watching a brief video training of how to administer the medication, and the video will be available on site. The doses are limited to one per customer while supplies last. (10/11)

USA Today: 'Fentanyl Fighter': Opvee Opioid Overdose Reversal Drug Lasts Longer
More than four months after the Food and Drug Administration approved the overdose reversal medication Opvee, the manufacturer, Indivior, has started shipping the life-saving drug to first responders and pharmacies. Opvee, a nasal spray version of the drug nalmefene, works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain to quickly reverse the effects of an overdose. The rescue medication is approved for people 12 and older and requires a prescription. (Alltucker, 10/12)

CBS News: What Is Fentanyl, And How Is It Made? CBS New York Goes Inside A DEA Laboratory For Answers About The National Crisis 
Fentanyl is a potent drug that can kill with even the smallest of doses, but what is fentanyl? How is it made, and what's being done to track the people smuggling it into our area? CBS New York takes us inside a Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory for the answers. (McNicholas, 10/11)

Kiplinger: Social Security's 2024 COLA Due Tomorrow: What To Know 
A projected 3.2% COLA increase would be higher than the average over the past 20 years, Senior Citizens League says. (Solitro, 10/11)

The Motley Fool: Filed For Social Security Too Early? Here's Why All Isn't Lost.
One lesser-known Social Security rule is that filers get a single do-over option in their lifetime to withdraw an application for benefits and sign up again down the line. This option could come in handy if you've claimed your benefits too early and regret the reduction that resulted. (Backman, 10/11)