The owner of a New York thermometer factory has been sentenced to three years of probation for failing to protect workers who were exposed to hazardous levels of mercury. Owner Robert Peyser was sentenced Friday. He and his company, Kessler Thermometer Corp., had earlier pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment for exposing employees to mercury. The charges stemmed from an Aug. 29, 2022, mercury spill at Kessler’s facility in West Babylon on Long Island. Officials say four employees were diagnosed with mercury poisoning after the spill. A message seeking comment was sent to the attorney representing both Peyser and the company.

Vaping is coming before the Supreme Court next week as federal regulators ask the high court to uphold its block on sweet, flavored products following a spike in youth e-cigarette use. The Food and Drug Administration has denied more than a million marketing applications for candy or fruit flavored products, part of a wider crackdown that advocates say helped drive down teen nicotine use after an epidemic-level surge in 2019. Vaping companies, though, said the agency unfairly disregarded arguments that their sweet e-liquid products would help adults quit smoking traditional cigarettes. The case comes shortly before the inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump, whose incoming administration could take a different approach.

Drake has taken legal action against Universal Music Group for the second straight day in his feud with fellow hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar. The new filing in Texas alleges that UMG, the parent company of the labels for both artists, engaged in pay-to-play to get radio air time for the Lamar diss track “Not Like Us.” The song from earlier this year viciously attacks Drake, who says in the court petition that he could file a defamation lawsuit. UMG did not immediately reply to a request for comment. After a similar filing in New York on Monday, the company called Drake's allegations “offensive and untrue.”