Striking Differences in Opioid Crisis Depending on State of Residence

Here’s what you’ll find on today’s show:

— Depending on where you live in the United States, the opioid crisis may look remarkably different, which is important when it comes to how local officials are confronting the epidemic. In Oregon, for example, opioid-assisted overdoses have dropped 20% from their peak a few years back, and there are some positive signs of recovery. But in Ohio, things are not at promising. The state is second only to West Virginia in its drug overdoses, and in many places morgues are running out of room for bodies of those who have died from an overdose.

— State lawmakers in Virginia were called back to Richmond on Wednesday for a special legislative session. Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, just months into his first term, ordered the session to address the state budget, which was blocked last month by Republican state senators. The divisive issue for those lawmakers is Medicaid expansion. If the budget is passed with the Medicaid provisions in place, 400,000 of the state’s low income residents would receive coverage under the program.

— Every Friday, Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday and The Takeaway, drops by to review the new releases hitting the box office. This week, Rafer brings us tennis movie “Borg vs. McEnroe” starring Shia LaBeouf, the animated “Sgt Stubby: An American Hero,” and the latest video game adaptation “Rampage,” starring Dwayne Johnson and Naomie Harris. Plus, it’s Friday the 13th, so there’s the horror flick “Truth or Dare” starring Lucy Hale.