United States – October 27, 2026 -- Cannabis sold in legal-sale states in 2023 contains 25-90% THC, compared with roughly 2-4% before 1990, so parents who tried it in their youth may be thinking of a very different drug. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is urging parents to update their conversations with teens through its Power of Parents program.

Pennsylvania – October 27, 2026 -- Self-driving cars and in-vehicle prevention technology envisioned under the HALT Drunk Driving Law could keep impaired drivers off the road, says Bob Nulman, a MADD National Ambassador who lost his son to a drunk and drugged driver in 1987.

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Coffee, cold showers and workouts will not lower your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and only time lets your body clear alcohol, according to guidance from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Judgment slips before the 0.08% limit

Alcohol can affect your judgment well before you reach the 0.08% legal limit used in most states. Feeling alert does not mean you are safe to drive. Even under the limit, your reaction time and coordination may not be where they need to be behind the wheel.

Texas – October 27, 2026 -- Parents still outrank friends as the biggest influence on teens' decisions. In the 2022 MADD Parent & Teen Perceptions Survey, 60% of teens named their parents, while 23% named friends.

NEW YORK – October 27, 2026 -- JAŸ-Z will perform at the Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 14, 2027. Viewers can watch on ESPN, ABC and Disney+, or on mobile devices with NFL+.

Spanish-language options include ESPN Deportes and Univision

ESPN's Spanish-language telecast will air on ESPN Deportes and Disney+. Univision will carry a separate Spanish-language presentation.

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Veterans who have held a VA disability rating for years have federal protection against cuts, and that protection gets stronger the longer the rating has been in place. Three regulations, 38 C.F.R. § 3.344, § 3.957 and § 3.951(b), set the 5-year, 10-year and 20-year rules. Trinidad Aguirre, CEO and co-founder of VetsForever, explains them on the Beyond the Rating series.

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Veterans can request a full copy of their VA claims file with one form, and a line-by-line read of it often shows where a denial went wrong, according to VetsForever, an organization that provides VA-accredited representation.

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Veterans who skip a scheduled VA Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam without good cause can see a claim rated on a thin file or denied outright. Preparing in advance, by bringing your own records and describing your worst days, protects the claim.

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Veterans with a federal VA rating can often add state property tax exemptions, income tax breaks, tuition waivers for dependents and housing help, but almost none of it is automatic. Most state benefits require a separate application, and the rules differ widely from state to state.

Federal compensation is only the floor

According to VetsForever, a veteran-founded organization, each state runs its own rules and deadlines on top of the federal baseline. Depending on where you live, that can include:

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Before you hand your VA disability file to a lawyer, seven questions can show whether that lawyer is accredited, what they may legally charge, and who will actually work your case. VA checks its own examiners, but nobody automatically checks the attorney you are about to trust with your service treatment records, DD-214 and private doctor's notes.