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January 1, CDC Warns Seniors to ‘Stock up’, Avoid Crowds

Published

4 years ago

March 10, 2020

This Day in History | 1864

President Abraham Lincoln signs a document promoting Ulysses S. Grant to the rank of lieutenant general of the U.S. Army, leading all Union troops against the Confederate Army.

Ok, now its starting to get serious. By no means is it time to panic, but the CDC is now warning the most vulnerable among us including seniors over the age of 60 to stock up on supplies and avoid crowds. But still, there’s growing proof that we are well past the point of containment and the coronavirus is living among us. President’s chief of staff is self quarantining. We still don’t know whether the president’s been tested, but we do know that he shook hands with people who shook hands with CPAC patient zero.

Also today, Stock futures erased big losses in after-hours trading Monday and turned positive after President Donald Trump floated the idea of ” a payroll tax cut or relief” to offset the negative impact from the coronavirus. The potential tax incentives come on top of an $8.3 billion spending package Trump signed last month. Oil prices also saw some respite early Tuesday.

And, St. Patrick’s Day festivities in Ireland have been canceled amid concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus.

Tuesday’s primaries — Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Washington — could deal a fatal blow to Bernie Sanders’ reeling campaign.

A spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan says the U.S. is moving ahead with plans to cut the number of forces in the country from about 13,000 to 8,600 over the next four and a half months.

Harvey Weinstein has been injured at Riker’s Island, his spokesman says the disgraced Hollywood mogul may have a concussion.

And finally, there might not be a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston this year, but there was plenty of green on display yesterday when the city’s first recreational marijuana shop opens.

Read all about it!

-Fraser Dixon

CDC: Americans Over 60 Should ‘Stock Up’ on Supplies, Avoid Crowds

(The Hill) – Older Americans, especially those with underlying health conditions, should stockpile supplies and avoid unnecessary travel, a top official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Monday.

Most Americans are likely at risk of catching the novel strain of the coronavirus, said Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Older Americans are especially susceptible to serious outcomes.

“As the trajectory of the outbreak continues, many people in the U.S. will at some point in time this year or next be exposed to this virus, and there’s a good chance many will become sick,” Messonnier said. “The reason to stock up now is to kind of stick close to home.”

Investors Look for Market Bounce After Trump Floats Payroll Tax Cut

(CNBC) – Around 5:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average indicated an opening surge of 1,000 points on Tuesday. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq-100 futures also pointed to a sharply higher open for the two indexes on Tuesday.

Stock futures erased big losses in after-hours trading Monday and turned positive after President Donald Trump floated the idea of ” a payroll tax cut or relief” to offset the negative impact from the coronavirus. The potential tax incentives come on top of an $8.3 billion spending package Trump signed last month.

The market suffered a historic sell-off in the previous session, with the Dow and the S&P 500 plunging 7.8% and 7.6, respectively, both posting their worst day since 2008. The Dow’s 2,013-point drop was also the biggest point drop for the 30-stock average ever.

The deep stock rout is putting the record-long bull market in jeopardy. With Monday’s drop, the S&P 500 is 19% below its intraday all-time high of 3,393.52 from Feb.19. The benchmark would fall into bear market territory if it slumps 20% from its peak or more.

Meanwhile, oil prices saw some respite early Tuesday. As of 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 5.4% at $32.81 per barrel. International benchmark Brent crude futures added 5% at $36.10 per barrel.

Coronavirus Cancels St. Patricks Day

(NBC News) – St. Patrick’s Day festivities in the Republic of Ireland have been canceled amid concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus.

The cancellations have come at the advice of health officials to help slow the spread of the virus, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Monday. There have been 19 cases of COVID-19, the disease associated with the coronavirus, in the Republic of Ireland.

The canceled events include the national St. Patrick’s Festival parade in Dublin on March 17.

“But I think it’s really important to get across a very important fact: The vast majority of people who get COVID-19 in the next couple of weeks or couple of months will not do so because they attend a mass gathering. They will most likely pick it up in their own home from their family or from interactions with friends and others,” Varadkar said.

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Biden Could Wrap up Nomination with Michigan Win

(Politico) – It’s less than half the size of Super Tuesday. But Tuesday’s collection of misfit primaries — Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Washington — could prove just as consequential by dealing a fatal blow to Bernie Sanders’ reeling campaign.

Michigan, with 125 delegates at stake, is the biggest prize among the 6 states voting. It was the site of Sanders’ miraculous upset win over Hillary Clinton in 2016, but the outlook seems grim for his campaign this time around: A handful of new polls released in the last two days suggest Joe Biden leads by double-digits.

All together, there are 352 delegates — representing roughly 9% of the total delegates — up for grabs. Sanders doesn’t have to win all of them, but at a minimum he can’t get blown out in Michigan, and he likely needs to win Washington — where he romped in 2016 — to have a plausible case for going forward.

Here’s a state-by-state look at the March 10 map

US Begins Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan

(AP) — American troops have begun leaving Afghanistan for the initial troop withdrawal required in the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement, the U.S. military confirmed Monday, amid political chaos in Kabul that threatens the deal.

Army Col. Sonny Leggett, spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said in a statement that the U.S. is moving ahead with plans to cut the number of forces in the country from about 13,000 to 8,600 over the next four and a half months.

Another U.S. official said hundreds of troops have headed out of the country as previously planned, but they will not be replaced. The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the movement ahead of a public announcement.

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Report: Harvey Weinstein Injured at Riker’s Island

(CNN) – Convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein fell sometime Sunday morning while at Rikers Island jail, his spokesperson Juda Englemayer told CNN. Englemayer said Weinstein was dizzy before he fell.

“Harvey says his head throbs all the time and thinks he has a concussion. He has not been officially diagnosed,” Englemayer said.

Englemayer, who spoke to Weinstein by phone Sunday evening, says Weinstein has “had a lot of time to think about his life and what he’s done,” adding, “He said he wasn’t a nice guy and that’s how he got here.”

Movie mogul Weinstein doesn’t walk steadily and doesn’t have a walker in jail, Englemayer said. During his recent trial, Weinstein used a walker to get in and out of court.

Boston’s 1st Recreational Pot Shop Opens

(AP) – Boston’s first pot shop opened Monday, marking the first recreational marijuana store to open in a major East Coast city.

Pure Oasis is also among the few retail stores in the country owned and operated by people of color, who experts say have struggled to break into the industry. Massachusetts’ ballot initiative was the first to insert specific language aimed at encouraging people of color and others harmed by the war on drugs to participate in the new industry.

Matt Simon, New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, hailed the opening as a “huge milestone” for the East Coast, where most jurisdictions — save for Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and the District of Columbia — have approved cannabis for medicinal use only.

“This is only the beginning,” he said. “The fact that this is just the first in Boston shows how this is such an early market on this coast.”

See more here

Latest News

Man Arrested for Looting Was Out on Bail for Grisly Crime

Published

3 days ago

September 29, 2023

Wyatt Porter

Philadelphia, a city under siege, has witnessed the arrest of over 50 individuals in a two-day crime spree, causing the demise of numerous businesses. Among those arrested is Kenneth Frye, a suspect in a recent burglary who was out on bail connected to a significant murder case from the previous year.

The city’s police department apprehended Frye for looting a Fine Wine & Good Spirits store located in West Philadelphia. Previously, Frye, who once worked as a bouncer, was charged in connection to the death of Eric Pope. It’s reported by FOX 29 that he fatally punched Pope outside Tabu Lounge in Center City. Initially charged with 3rd-degree murder, a motion has been filed by the District Attorney’s office to reduce the charge to Involuntary Murder.

This wave of criminal activity, spurred by social media, resulted in numerous arrests, involving both adults and juveniles, and is just a snapshot of the broader chaos infiltrating the city.

Charges ranging from Rioting to Burglary and Disorderly Conduct have been filed against the arrested individuals, with many arrests occurring at notable establishments such as Lululemon, T-Mobile, and Walgreens.

Arrests include:

Aauanyae Haynes, a Black female, 19
Sabree Young, a Black female, 31
Steven Wells, a Black male, 26
Traqwan Word, a Black male, 24
Lisa Talley, a Black female, 34
Yasmine Fields, a Black female, 23
Kenneth Frye, a Black male, 24
Kyreek Leak, a Black male, 21
Reginal Alexander, Black male, 33
Gabriel Gines, a Hispanic male, 23
Alena Gigliotti, a White female, 26
Petra Gonzalez, a White female, 24
Jessica Blake, a Black female, 37
Semaj Suber, a Black female, 29
Aniya Taylor, a Black female, 21
Hartzog Mashaad, a Black male, 27
Isis Morgan, a Black female, 23
Khalilah Green, a Black female, 21
Ernest McCollum, a Black male, 31
Jessica Arnold-Coit, a Black female, 30
Quanika McQueen, a Black female, 31
Denzel Walker, a Black male, 27
Mikal Reed, a Black male, 26
Tyheed Hill, a Black male, 26
Anthony Abner, a Black male, 35

Per Fox News, three juveniles — a 14-year-old Black male, a 16-year-old Black male and a 14-year-old Black female — were also arrested for Rioting, Burglary, Disorderly Conduct, and Theft at a Lululemon store, according to the report.

This spree of destruction and lawlessness is indicative of the escalating disorder in the city, exemplified by the arrest of Frye, who, despite his involvement in a serious murder case, was back on the streets only to be implicated in further criminal activity.

The city remains in a state of turmoil as businesses struggle to recover, and residents live in the shadow of relentless criminal activity.

As our loyal readers, we encourage you to share your thoughts and opinions on this issue. Let your voice be heard and join the discussion below.

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One Third of the Entire Country’s Homeless Population Lives in This State

Published

3 days ago

September 29, 2023

Wyatt Porter

The staggering issue of homelessness looms large over California, with the state hosting nearly a third of the nation’s rising homeless population, which stands at 582,462 people according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In the bustling city of San Francisco, Anthony, a former restaurant worker who has lived in a tent for three years, is just one of over 170,000 unhoused Californians.

The city’s inflated living cost, with average rent for a one-bedroom apartment being roughly $3,000 a month, starkly contrasts with its minimum wage of $18.07 an hour, leaving many like Nelly Sorto, a full-time cleaner and a mother of two, struggling to break into the rental market.

Anthony, a former chef, has experienced the vicious cycle of homelessness firsthand, stating, “Once you get behind, you just can’t get up,” to ABC News.

The economic downturn during the pandemic left many like him, striving to find a permanent home and bouncing from street to street as city officials clear their encampments.

This visible homelessness crisis is often attributed to several factors, including the high cost of living related to the tech boom and mental health issues experienced by many individuals.

Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness, said to ABC News, “California has systemic issues in terms of its housing affordability… So, what we need to do in California is really have a massive investment to offset that difference between incomes and rent.”

The rising number of encampments has sparked frustration across the state, with residents like Jeanne Vasquez expressing concern over safety and the declining quality of life in their areas.

In July, Vasquez conveyed her discontent to ABC Los Angeles, citing instances of broken glass, needles on the ground, and inappropriate behaviors exhibited by individuals dealing with mental illnesses.

To combat this escalating issue, President Joe Biden announced an investment of an extra $3 billion focusing on support services including rental assistance, legal help, and job search support, with a particular emphasis on veterans.

However, GOP presidential hopefuls like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump have utilized the grim reality of the homelessness crisis in blue states to critique Democratic leadership.

Trump has been vocal about his stance on “urban camping,” promising to ban it and offering rehabilitation options for violators, as mentioned in one of his campaign ads.

However, Friedenbach argues that such policies essentially criminalize the homeless and advocates for a more comprehensive approach involving the federal government investing in housing vouchers, long-term housing subsidies, and reforms in mental health and substance use treatment systems.

She believes that this crisis is a “manufactured issue” created by a “lack of investment” and calls for active listening from the federal government to truly understand and address the needs of the unhoused people.

Despite the relentless efforts of San Francisco outreach teams, many unhoused individuals either decline offers of shelter or already have shelter but cannot be compelled to come inside, as per a spokesperson for the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.

While some, like Anthony, have been offered a place to stay, the glaring reality remains that thousands are still on the streets yearning for a place to call home, with at least 350 unhoused individuals still on the waitlist for housing in San Francisco.

The pervasive crisis necessitates immediate, profound measures and substantial investments to bridge the substantial gap between incomes and rent, and to address the systemic issues contributing to the surge in homelessness.

As our loyal readers, we encourage you to share your thoughts and opinions on this issue. Let your voice be heard and join the discussion below.

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Latest News

Parents in Fear as Prowler in White Van Targets Children

Published

3 days ago

September 29, 2023

Wyatt Porter

New London, Connecticut, is in a state of heightened alert as reports emerge of a man attempting to lure children into his white van.

The New London Police Department, in conjunction with the New London School District, is rigorously working to identify the suspect, whose latest sighting occurred near Bennie Dover Middle School.

The suspect is described as either White or Hispanic with black hair and a beard, which is either black or gray. The vehicle he’s been spotted in has tinted windows.

Residents of New London are understandably rattled.

“It makes me terrified; it makes me sick to my stomach,” expressed Mystique Elefante in a conversation with WFSB.com.

With an infant daughter of her own, Elefante vocalized her fears, stating she’s “afraid for my daughter to grow up,” amidst such unsettling reports.

For New London Police Capt. Matt Galante, the situation demands immediate attention and stringent precautionary measures. Galante advises students to maintain groups for safety and to vocally alarm others if danger is sensed.

“Scream, yell, make as loud a sound as you possibly can. Scream for help,” he told WFSB. “There are strength in numbers. We encourage kids walking home from school to walk together.”

This alarming incident has prompted a community-wide call to vigilance. Capt. Galante emphasized the urgency of alertness within the community and the role of every individual in maintaining a watchful eye.

“We wanted to get the message out to parents and the community at large that this may be happening within our community and for people to be vigilant and look for these types of events,” he mentioned to NBC Connecticut.

The New London Police Department has urged anyone with relevant information to come forward, allowing for anonymous tips to be sent to the New London Tips 411 system.

The involvement of the community is crucial in aiding the ongoing investigation to ensure the safety of the young residents of New London, as law enforcement intensifies its efforts to locate the prowler and his vehicle.

As our loyal readers, we encourage you to share your thoughts and opinions on this issue. Let your voice be heard and join the discussion below.

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