The death of a teenage boy in a San Francisco apartment has been identified as the city’s first fatal overdose linked to cychlorphine, a frightening new drug believed to be far more potent than fentanyl.

Police announced Monday that four people have been arrested in connection with the April death of 16-year-old Dante Lacourte.

Dante was discovered in his bedroom by his mother at their apartment in San Francisco’s affluent Nob Hill neighborhood on April 7.

His face had turned blue, while black fluid seeped from his nose and mouth and collected on his bedsheets, his mother, 53-year-old Christina Lacourte, told The New York Times.

Christina tried to revive her son with two doses of Narcan, but the medication did not work. Paramedics pronounced him dead when they arrived.

Because Dante had struggled with addiction, his mother initially believed fentanyl had caused his death.

Weeks later, however, his autopsy results revealed that he had cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid, in his system.

‘The tragedy marks the first time cychlorphine – estimated to be ten times more powerful than fentanyl and undetectable by fentanyl test strips – has been detected in San Francisco,’ the city’s Department of Public Health said at the time.

Investigators believe Dante ingested counterfeit pills that contained cychlorphine, another synthetic opioid called N-Desethyl Isotonitazene and ethyl bromazolam, a benzodiazepine that is not approved by the FDA.

His death prompted an investigation that led to the arrest of four drug dealers and police seizing over 20,000 counterfeit pills.

San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) used Dante’s phone to determine who he had texted about purchasing the pills before his death.

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Officers went undercover to buy drugs from the same dealers and then were able to obtain arrest warrants.

On September 8, police detained 46-year-old Nicholas Wallace at his home in the Tenderloin neighborhood and recovered 34 suspected oxycodone pills and cocaine.

At the same house, officers located and arrested 44-year-old Sharonee Hyson, who was on active parole and in possession of 11.7 grams of cocaine base and a loaded firearm, the SFPD said.

The next day, September 9, officers arrested Leander Pitts, 46, and Starr Lamare, 39, at a home in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood.

There, police seized over 20,000 pills, including suspected counterfeit Xanax, oxycodone, hydrocodone, cyclobenzaprine and other deadly narcotics, including fentanyl.

Additionally, officers seized 68.5 grams of MDMA, 6.5 grams of black tar heroin, a semi-automatic assault rifle, a semi-automatic pistol and $2,267 in cash.

‘It is a sad day, though, why we are here. When we talk about the loss of life of a 16-year-old. A 16-year-old man who I’m sure had a lot ahead,’ San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said at a press conference announcing the arrests.

The SFPD is working with the federal Food and Drug Administration to determine if any of the counterfeit pills seized contain cychlorphine.

‘San Francisco was caught flat-footed by the fentanyl crisis. We will not let that happen again. When a new deadly drug appears in San Francisco, we are going to find it, we are going to track it, we are going to warn people about it,’ Mayor Daniel Lurie said.

The answer to slowing deadly brain tumors may, in part, lie in what is on the dinner table.

Gliomas are tumors that form in the brain or spinal cord. They can be slow-growing, as in the tumor actress Busy Philipps was diagnosed with this year, or highly aggressive, like those experienced by John McCain, Beau Biden and Sophie Kinsella.

Researchers at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health say they may have identified a way to curb the growth of these tumors — through a carefully designed dietary intervention.

A study published Tuesday found that fast-growing, high-grade gliomas share a metabolic defect with GAMT deficiency, a rare genetic disorder affecting children. These tumors arise when supportive brain cells grow and divide out of control.

The defect causes the production of a toxic chemical that alters brain activity and appears to drive tumor growth. Researchers found that a targeted diet could modify this process and slow the tumors’ progression.

In laboratory testing, scientists gave mice the specialized medical diet used to treat children with the disorder. The approach dramatically slowed cancer growth in the rodents.

“The diet that we are considering for this trial is not really, say, a Mediterranean diet or a ketogenic diet,” Dr. Kalil Abdullah, director for central nervous system cancer at Northwell Health’s Brain Tumor Center, said. “It’s a diet under medical supervision that restricts very specific types of food.”

The team discovered that tumors release excess amounts of guanidinoacetate, or GAA, into the brain. The chemical causes nearby brain cells to become overactive.

That heightened activity seems to accelerate tumor growth, effectively enabling the cancer to hijack the brain’s normal signals to support its own survival.

Children with GAMT deficiency also had elevated GAA levels. In that rare condition, the body cannot properly break down the chemical, which can lead to seizures and epilepsy.

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The researchers used the dietary approach used to manage GAMT deficiency to see if it could also slow tumor growth in mice.

Along with turning off the enzyme (AGAT) that makes GAA in tumor cells, the mice were fed a diet that restricted the amino acid arginine and added extra ornithine, another amino acid.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and are found in many foods including meat, eggs and grains.

Using extra tissue from tumors removed during brain surgery, the team was able to detect particular DNA, chemicals and other components of the tumors.

“We found that one particular molecule, in this case, GAA, was really wildly different in glioblastoma than it was in other kinds of brain tumor or in the normal brain,” Abdullah said. “And once we discovered that, we started to look into why.”

The findings suggest the diet could potentially be used before treatment for glioblastoma, although it has not yet been established as a treatment for people with the disease.

“Because the human body adapts so quickly, we can have patients change their diet for just three to five days before surgery,” Abdullah said.

“And then we’ll be able to do the surgery as planned, but we’ll be able to measure this molecule and see if the diet has already made a difference.”

Abdullah and his team plan to put their findings into practice with a clinical trial beginning in 2027.

The sole juror who prevented a verdict in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial reached his decision after reviewing the evidence and making his own judgment, his brother said.

“For me, that’s how I would do it,” the holdout juror’s brother told the New York Post. “I would just listen to the case with all the evidence, and go from there.”

“His choice was good for some people, but not good for other people,” he added.

The juror’s brother also pushed back on suggestions that religious beliefs influenced the vote. “I don’t think religion had anything to do with it,” he said.

Clancy, 36, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder over the deaths of her children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan. The children were found strangled inside the family’s home in January 2023.

Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial on Sept. 4 after the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision. The panel was divided 11-1.

This is a developing story.

Move over, McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A: some of the most buzzworthy fast-food chains in America are regional favorites that many diners outside their home states have never encountered.

Tasting Table food experts have spotlighted a group of local restaurant chains with the potential to go nationwide. Their picks include spots with intensely devoted customers, inventive takes on comfort-food staples and menu items that are difficult to find anywhere else.

The list runs from an unapologetically offbeat taco destination in Buffalo to a beloved Cincinnati chain known for piling chili onto spaghetti. Burgers, barbecue, biscuits and ice cream also make the cut.

Plenty of regional fast-food brands have passionate supporters, but these 10 have built the sort of cult status that could turn them into America’s next major chain.

Mighty Taco – Buffalo, New York

Anyone who has visited Buffalo has likely heard a local make the case that Mighty Taco is a must-try meal.

Founded in Buffalo in 1973, the Mexican-inspired fast-food restaurant has stayed primarily rooted in Western New York despite its decades-long popularity.

Fans on Reddit readily concede that Mighty Taco is not fine dining, but that is hardly the point. One called it the kind of food that “scratches a very specific itch,” while another said it was not especially great but “isn’t BAD” — and perfectly satisfying when the craving hits.

For newcomers, the Super Mighty is a favorite introduction, combining beef, sour cream and hot sauce. One devoted customer even questioned why anyone would opt for Taco Bell instead.

Braum’s – Oklahoma and the Midwest

Braum’s is the rare chain where the grocery aisle is almost as important as the drive-thru.

Founded in Oklahoma in the 1960s, it operates restaurants and stores across Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Missouri and Arkansas, selling everything from burgers and breakfast to its famous ice cream and dairy products.

For many fans, though, the milk is the real star. ‘Braum’s milk is the best milk you can buy,’ one Redditor declared, while another said they would visit Braum’s exclusively to buy it.

The chocolate milk has its own following, with one customer saying it tastes like ‘melted chocolate ice cream.’

Swensons Drive-In – Ohio

Pull up to a Swensons in Ohio and you are stepping into a fast-food tradition that dates back to 1934.

The Akron-born chain still operates as a classic drive-in, with servers taking orders and bringing food straight to customers’ cars. 

Its Galley Boy burger, made with two patties and signature sauces, is the standout.

One Redditor who said they had worked as a server recommended the Polaris, New Albany and Hilliard locations, praising their kitchens and service. 

Their other piece of advice? Add Cajun seasoning to ‘literally anything hot.’ But there was no hesitation over the best part: ‘the milkshakes.’

Skyline Chili – Ohio

Ask Cincinnati residents about Skyline Chili and you may get the same reaction you would expect from someone defending their hometown sports team.

The restaurant was founded in 1949 by Greek immigrant Nicholas Lambrinides and became famous for Cincinnati-style chili served over spaghetti, usually topped with a mountain of shredded cheese.

It is a dish that outsiders can find baffling – but locals are fiercely protective of it.

One Redditor said they ate Skyline all three days of a work trip to Cincinnati, while another described a homemade version as so good they were ‘never going back to regular chili.’

Biscuitville – North Carolina and Virginia

Biscuitville may be regional, but its breakfast credentials are anything but small. The chain traces its roots to 1966 and now operates across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. 

The chain’s biscuits are made fresh throughout the day, with Southern staples including country ham, steak and Cajun-spiced chicken biscuits, as well as its popular hashbrown casserole.

A recent Reddit thread saw one fan call Biscuitville ‘the highest quality fast food period,’ while another said it was the place they missed most after leaving North Carolina.

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And there is some serious outside recognition too: Biscuitville recently won USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice award for best fast-food breakfast for the fourth consecutive year.

Cook Out – The Southeast

Cook Out started in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1989 and has grown into a Southern fast-food powerhouse with hundreds of locations.

The chain is now pushing further south, with its first Jacksonville, Florida, restaurant opening on Beach Boulevard as part of its expansion into the state. 

Its appeal goes well beyond burgers and barbecue. The chain is famous for its enormous selection of milkshake flavors – with dozens to choose from – and trays that let customers combine multiple sides with a main dish.

The shakes are so thick they have become a Reddit talking point in their own right. 

One customer complained they were almost impossible to drink through a straw, prompting a defense from another who said the thickness was precisely what made them good.

Macayo’s Mexican Food – Arizona

For more than 75 years, Macayo’s has been serving Mexican-American food in Arizona, beginning in Phoenix in 1946.

The restaurant became known for dishes including enchiladas, chimichangas and its distinctive take on Southwestern Mexican food.

But this is one chain where the online reaction is decidedly mixed. Some Phoenix Redditors say the quality has slipped over the years, while others remain nostalgic for what they grew up eating.

That may make it less universally loved than some of the other picks – but its long history and devoted Arizona following make it a regional name worth knowing.

Lion’s Choice – Missouri

Missouri’s Lion’s Choice has built its reputation around one thing: roast beef sandwiches.

The first restaurant opened in Ballwin, Missouri, in 1967, and the chain became known for thinly sliced roast beef piled onto toasted buns, alongside its famous natural-cut fries.

It has remained primarily a Missouri phenomenon, making it precisely the kind of regional brand that can inspire homesickness among former locals.

For fans, the appeal is simple: hot roast beef, fries and a fast-food experience that feels distinctly different from the national burger giants.

Ted’s Hot Dogs – Buffalo and beyond

Ted’s has been a Buffalo institution since 1927, when Greek immigrant Theodore Spiro Liaros opened the first stand.

Its charcoal-grilled hot dogs, footlongs, burgers and onion rings have earned the chain an unusually passionate following – and it has even expanded beyond New York, with locations in Arizona.

A Reddit post about discovering Ted’s in Buffalo attracted hundreds of upvotes, with one customer calling it a ‘Buffalo staple’ and another declaring: ‘Best dogs in the state!!’

One fan’s wife from New Jersey even called it the best hot dog she had ever eaten.

Wood Ranch – California

Wood Ranch brings a slightly more polished approach to barbecue, with its first restaurant opening in Southern California in 1992.

The chain specializes in slow-cooked meats, including ribs and tri-tip, alongside sides such as baked beans, peanut coleslaw and garlic rolls.

It has developed a particularly loyal following in California, with one Redditor calling it their favorite barbecue chain and saying it beats better-known names such as Lucille’s and Famous Dave’s.

The chain is now slowly pushing outward, with a Gilbert, Arizona, location planned for fall 2027.