The Smoke Signal

By: Staff Writer Rishab Ramapriyan

Local

The measles outbreak,following a possible exposure last month at Disneyland, continues to spread in California as 30 babies have been placed in home isolation in Alameda County. The number of cases in CA is currently 73 with 50 of them linked to Disneyland. Thirteen cases related to the outbreak have been reported in other states. Two new cases have been reported in Santa Clara County and two more in the San Francisco Bay Area. Measles can be prevented by vaccination and babies are most vulnerable. It is possible that the infected traveler visited Disneyland starting the chain exposure in mid-December.

National

Starting on January 26,a blizzard swept past New York City hitting about 4.5 million people in the Boston area. Nearly three feet of snow fell, triggering high tides capable of breaching a sea wall and forcing residents to evacuate their coastal homes. The travel ban on the subway system has been lifted but people are strongly cautioned against driving on snow-covered roadways. As of January 27, around 45,900 residents are without power in the Boston area where the snow hit the hardest. Many New Yorkers are frustrated that officials over reacted when the storm missed New York City.

International

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah died on January 23 and mourners gathered in Mecca hours after. Prince Salman was appointed as the new king.The Saudi Press Agency had announced weeks earlier that he was suffering from pneumonia and had been at the hospital. Funeral services were held at the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in Riyadh. Many world leaders, including President Obama, visited Saudi Arabia in the following days to pay their respects and to welcome the new king.

Quirky

A man in Jacksonville, Florida broke into Jerome Brown BBQ and stole $4,000 worth of ribs, wings, fries and chicken. He was able to gain entry by prying open a side door and also left with an empty cash register. He was caught on surveillance video during the act, but the officers have not been able to track him down. The employees, managers, and business owners have all been economically impacted by the incident and they hope he is turned in as soon as possible.