Local

Know: The City of St. Louis is suing the Los Angeles Rams and the National Football League for a violation of the NFL’s relocation policy.

Inform: An official lawsuit has been filed by the City of St. Louis against the Los Angeles Rams and the National Football League. The suit was officially filed April 12, 2017, and the suit is now ongoing as more information continues to be gathered about the case. St. Louis Post Dispatch reported that the suit claims St. Louis has lost an estimated $1.85 million to $3.5 million a year in amusement and ticket tax revenue with the departure of the Rams. The suit states that the city also has lost about $7.5 million in property tax and $1.4 million in sales tax revenue, plus “millions” in earning taxes. “‘There is no legitimate basis for this litigation,’ Brian McCarthy, NFL vice president of communications told the news site via email. ‘While we understand the disappointment of the St. Louis fans and the community, we worked diligently with local and state officials in a process that was honest and fair at all times.’”

Care: Not only were members of the St. Louis community upset about Stan Kroenke’s relocation of the Rams to Los Angeles. Hosted by the former football team from the city of St. Louis, the Wildcats participated in the Gateway Classic, a high school game on professional turf, for several years. The fate of the dome is now uncertain.

National

Know: Heroin addictions and related deaths are on the rise in the United States because of how accessible opiates are.

Inform: People are becoming addicted to heroin or opiate based drugs at an increased rate in the U.S. The amount of overdose-related deaths have been on the rise since the early 2000s and the amount of prescription opioids has also followed a similar path. The heroine addiction epidemic is happening all over the United States, but there are certain cities that are showing higher amounts of heroin-related deaths. One reason that this problem has grown out of control is that people view prescription pills as something safe and perfectly normal to take even though the wrong dosage can increase chances of addiction.

Care: Overall, Missouri saw 1,067 drug-related deaths in 2014, an almost 400 percent increase since 1999. Whether community members realize it or not, heroin is a threat. Raising awareness could help prevent or stop opiate abuse.

International

Know: Players from the NHL are not authorized to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics; however, some NHL players feel strongly about representing their home countries and may try to participate in the olympics anyway.

Inform: Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner, made the official ruling, April 3, because of the fear of potential injuries to the players and fear of the two-week interruption of the NHL season. The decision didn’t sit well with players and fans. The National Hockey League Players Association issued a statement in reaction to Bettman’s decision stating, “NHL players are patriotic and they do not take this lightly. A decent respect for the opinions of the players matters. This is the NHL’s decision, and its alone. It is very unfortunate for the game, the players and millions of loyal hockey fans.”

Care: Hockey fans worldwide, including EHS community members, will not be able to see their favorite NHL players perform on the world stage. Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues will not be representing Russia in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Professional sports bring the world together as St. Louisans root for for their Russian hockey star, just as the olympics intend to build a better world through sport. Barring players is an unprecedented move. The U.S. has only boycotted the modern olympics twice: 1936 and 1980; each time making a major political statement on the world stage.