New England

The front lines of the heroin epidemic

The front lines of the heroin epidemic

14 photos

Communities across the United States are struggling with an epidemic of overdose deaths due to heroin and opioid pain pill addiction. On March 15, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), announced guidelines for doctors to reduce the amount of opioid painkillers prescribed nationwide, in an effort to curb the epidemic. The CDC estimates that most new heroin addicts first became hooked on prescription pain medication before graduating to heroin, which is stronger and cheaper.

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Fishing in New Bedford: 3 centuries and still going strong

Fishing in New Bedford: 3 centuries and still going strong

15 Photos

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — For three centuries, fishing has been a way of life in New Bedford — and it’s still going strong.

In its heyday in the mid-1800s, the city was the undisputed hub of the global whaling industry. Scholars say more ships sailed out of New Bedford alone than every other American port combined.

Grand homes overlooking the harbor still stand as testimony to the fortunes amassed by the sea captains of yesteryear. Their rooftop widow’s walks underscore the dangers faced in earning that wealth.

Commercial fishing isn’t nearly as lucrative now as it was then, and whales certainly are no longer part of the equation. But it’s still a viable industry, and New Bedford’s piers are alive with the sights, sounds and smells of the trade.

When they’re not hauling in squid, red crabs, herring and halibut, fishermen tinker with the sputtering engines on their trawlers and mend their huge nets — just as their forerunners did.

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Earth Day: NASA’s spectacular view of our planet

Earth Day: NASA’s spectacular view of our planet

60 photos

In the early days of space flight, the pictures harvested by the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) were blurry gray images that resembled a bad weather map. With the advent of new technology and better platforms to photograph from, such as the space shuttle and International Space Station, NASA is able to provide us with an amazing viewpoint of Earth.

In honor of Earth Day, view memorizing photos of the blue planet from space.

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Rough Cut: Torrey Smith helps lead Ravens over Patriots

Rough Cut: Torrey Smith helps lead Ravens over Patriots

108 photos

“Rough Cut” is a loose edit from The Baltimore Sun’s photographic coverage of the National Football League. Fanatic fans, marching bands, cheerleaders and lots of game action are just part of the spectacle that is the NFL. This week photojournalists Gene Sweeney, Jr., Karl Merton Ferron and Kenneth K. Lam photographed the Baltimore Ravens as they clashed with the New England Patriots at M&T Stadium in Baltimore to win 31-30.

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