Culkin Sister Was Drunk When Killed

(NEWSER) - Macaulay Culkin’s older sister, Dakota, died yesterday at UCLA Hospital after being hit by a car the night before, E! reports. She was struck by a vehicle when she stepped into a Los Angeles street; the driver attempted to help her, and police determined he was not under the influence and will not be charged. Dakota Culkin, one of seven siblings that include Rory and Kieran, was 29. More»

Here's a hint: They hang out near the White House

(NEWSER) - Instead of the Beltway, we should call it the Booze Belt. That's because DC singles are the heaviest drinkers in America, according to a new survey. A hefty 34% of Washington singles surveyed classify themselves as frequent or very frequent drinkers—the highest percentage in the nation. Nipping at their stumbling heels are singles in New York and Chicago, tied at 33%, notes the Washington Post . Topping the list of the lightest drinkers? Surprisingly, Las Vegas, followed by Tampa, Phoenix and Detroit. The survey in HowAboutWe.com isn't a scientific study, and results weren't based on number of drinks. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control determined that Wisconsin has the highest percentage in the nation—25.6%—of binge drinkers, defined as five or more drinks in two hours for men. One in six of all Americans is a binge drinker, according to the CDC. More»

Had history of drinking alone; may have taken drugs on day of death

(NEWSER) - Andrew Koppel had a long history of alcohol abuse, but friends remember him as a brilliant and "genuine nice guy" who had—they thought—successfully moved past the troubles of his youth. His death Monday left more questions than answers, and Belinda Caban, in whose apartment he was found, tells the New York Post , "I think he did take" drugs during his daylong drinking binge, "because he was too out of it." More»

Witness: 'He was very drunk'

(NEWSER) - The son of former ABC newscaster Ted Koppel has been found dead in a New York City apartment after an apparent daylong drinking binge with a 32-year-old waiter he had just met, police say. Andrew Koppel, 40, was declared dead at around 1:30am yesterday, reports the AP . A 53-year-old woman who lives in the apartment tells the New York Post that Koppel appeared "really messed up," and "very drunk" when he came in. More»

Authorities hope to prevent deaths by boosting prices

(NEWSER) - British authorities plan to as much as double the price of cheap alcohol to battle the nation's skyrocketing problem of binge drinking. The innovative scheme is intended to help prevent thousands of deaths and hospital admissions every year, according to government officials. A levy may be imposed on the alcohol industry to prevent companies from making windfall profits off of the new prices. Money raised would be earmarked for public health campaigns warning of alcohol dangers. More»