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Why every single school in West Virginia is closed again
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Nearly 20,000 teachers and 13,000 school service employees didnt head into work again on Monday or Tuesday, which led to closed schools across 55 counties. - photo by Herb Scribner
West Virginia wont see its teacher strike end on Tuesday.

According to CNN, nearly 20,000 teachers and 13,000 school service employees didnt head into work again this week, which led schools across 55 counties to close their doors.

Tuesday was the fourth day in the ongoing work stoppage, in which teachers and school employees are demanding better pay and benefits.

Christine Campbell, president of the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, which represents teachers and staff, said teachers are ready to head back to the classroom once a deal can be reached.

"We are ready, we are willing. We stand on the right side of public education, by being back here and outside our schools tomorrow," Campbell said.

Teachers and staff are hoping for salary increases, a better health care package and better legislation that will stop attacks on seniority, according to NPR.

Right now, West Virginia ranks 48th in the nation for average teacher pay, according to the National Education Association.

It still remains unclear if a solution will arise. Gov. Jim Justice pledged to offer teachers 2 percent raises next year and 1 percent for the following years. However, the teachers said this isnt enough of an increase, USA Today reported.

Legislation has remained in a freeze, however, as the legislative session is coming to a close.

Lawmakers, such as Senate President Mitch Carmichael and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, said the work stoppage is illegal. According to Vox, it is illegal for teachers to strike in West Virginia. Thats why some schools said they were closed for staff development or the weather.

"This is, in large measure, a county issue. They must decide whether they are going to declare this an illegal strike as that is clear from law that it is or if they're going to just close school for another day on other grounds," Carmichael told reporters on Monday, according to NPR. "So, to the extent that the counties have flexibility in how they manage their school system, the ball is in their court. So, we'll see how each county (proceeds.) We certainly don't want to tell them what to do. We're not doing that by any means."

However, House Speaker Tim Armstead offered a more measured response, saying he hopes the state and teachers can work out a deal.

"We in the House have heard loudly and clearly the message of our teachers, service personnel and state employees, Armstead said Friday in a written statement, and I don't believe it's necessary to continue this strike and keep our kids out of the classroom to draw attention to these issues.

In the meantime, state food banks are helping students who depend on school meals to eat. Child care centers have also been set up to help those children, according to local news reports. Teachers have also handed out free lunches to students.

"Before they made the decision to strike they wanted to make sure their students' needs were taken care of," Jennifer Wood, with the American Federation of Teachers union in West Virginia, told WSMV-TV.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.