'Forever chemicals' in the tap water

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Nearly half the nation's tap water contains "forever chemicals." And The Eagles are waving goodbye with a farewell tour.

👋 Hello there! Laura Davis here. Ready for Thursday’s news? It’s time.

But first, it's Grimace-mania! 🟣 The purple McDonald's character has taken over the internet the past few weeks, and online sellers are cashing in on the hype. Yes, $720 for a stuffed Grimace toy.

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'Forever chemicals' contaminate nearly half of US tap water

Nearly half of the tap water in the United States is estimated to contain at least one type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance, or PFAS, a national study from the U.S. Geological Survey shows. The group of chemicals, commonly used in consumer products like nonstick cookware and linings of fast-food boxes, have been linked to illnesses like cancer, low birth weight and thyroid disease. There are more than 12,000 types of PFAS, which are often called "forever chemicals" because of their persistence in the environment and potential for toxicity. A look at who is most at risk.

Donald Trump's 'body man' pleads not guilty in documents case

Waltine "Walt" Nauta, the aide charged alongside Donald Trump with mishandling classified documents, pleaded not guilty Thursday to his suspected role in helping the former president conceal dozens of boxes prosecutors say contain some of the nation's secrets. The search warrant for Trump's Mar-a-Lago property describes a person, identified as Witness 5, moving dozens of boxes in May and June last year from a room where federal prosecutors say Trump kept the boxes. Witness 5 is believed to be Nauta. Here's what we know.

Prosecutors say President Donald Trump's valet Walt Nauta moved boxes from a storage room to Trump's residence for him to review and later lied to investigators about the movement.
Prosecutors say President Donald Trump's valet Walt Nauta moved boxes from a storage room to Trump's residence for him to review and later lied to investigators about the movement.

What everyone's talking about

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Alzheimer's drug gets FDA's stamp of approval

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the drug lecanemab for people with early Alzheimer's disease, making it easier for older adults to get the first drug proven to slow memory and thinking problems. Lecanemab works by clearing beta amyloid, a protein the accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, and is the first drug of its kind to gain full FDA approval. The approval is expected to trigger Medicare coverage for adults over 65 who have been unable to afford the $26,500-a-year drug. What to know.

Man reported missing was living with mom, police say

Rudy Farias, the Texas man who made headlines for being found alive more than eight years after he was reported missing, was living with his mother the whole time, Houston police said Thursday. According to officials, Farias was reported missing by his mother in 2015 but returned the next day. Over the next eight years, police received tips and leads that indicated Farias was not missing, and Farias even had encounters with officers but used fake names and dates of birth, police said. The investigation is ongoing. Here's what we know.

Rudy Farias was reported missing in 2015, but Houston police say he has been living with his mother for the subsequent eight years.
Rudy Farias was reported missing in 2015, but Houston police say he has been living with his mother for the subsequent eight years.

The Eagles announce farewell tour

"The time has come for us to close the circle." The Eagles will embark on their own long road out of Eden this fall for a farewell tour expected to last into 2025. Dubbed The Long Goodbye, the Eagles' final shows will kick off Sept. 7 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Only an initial round of 13 dates has been announced, but the band noted that they'd play as many shows in each market as the audience demands, even if it means returning to certain cities. Along for the jaunt will be contemporaries Steely Dan. All the details.

Eagles members Vince Gill, Timothy B. Schmit, Don Henley, Deacon Frey and Joe Walsh during a “Hotel California” concert in Las Vegas in October 2019.
Eagles members Vince Gill, Timothy B. Schmit, Don Henley, Deacon Frey and Joe Walsh during a “Hotel California” concert in Las Vegas in October 2019.

A break from the news

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here. This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: PFAS in water, Rudy Farias, Eagles tour: Thursday’s news