January 1, End of an Era: Washington Redskins Announce Name Change

This Day in History | 1985

Prince Charles and Princess Diana officially open Live Aid in London, a worldwide rock concert organized to raise money for famine-stricken Africans. The event also included live performances at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia and at other arenas around the world.  The 16-hour “superconcert” was seen by more than a billion viewers in 110 countries. In a triumph of technology and good will, the event raised more than $125 million in famine relief for Africa.

Good morning Middle Americans, 

At some point today, we should have a better idea of what the NFL franchise in Washington DC is going to be named. It’s another sign of the tsunami of change rolling over the country in response to the death of George Floyd, and others. The Redskins are by no means the only sports organization to change their name out of concern for a cultural backlash. But let’s be clear, the Redskins changing their name is all about one thing and one thing only. Money. Team owner Dan Synder finally got scared about losing cash from his sponsors like FedEx and now a change is being made. 

Congrats to NYC this morning. The city, probably hit harder than another in the U.S. by COVID-19 is celebrating a milestone. This weekend they reported their first day with no deaths since the beginning of April. 

We showed you the president wearing a mask yesterday, today – he’s waking up to the obvious criticism you’d expect from Joe Biden. 

We’ll also be watching San Diego to see how they are dealing with a still-burning fire aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard. There was some sort of explosion on board, but the Navy has been cryptic about what happened. 

Read all about it. 

-Fraser Dixon

Washington Redskins to Announce Name Change

(ESPN) – The Washington Redskins will officially announce Monday morning that they will be changing their nickname, though no new name will be revealed just yet, a source confirmed Sunday night.

It had been widely expected that Washington would change its name, and one source said Saturday night that an announcement of a new name would come soon.

Sports Business Daily, which first reported Monday’s official announcement, reported that the new name would not be announced yet because trademark issues are pending.

Last week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the franchise would not use any Native American imagery. Washington’s logo of an American Indian chief had been designed by a Native American in 1971.

Another source told ESPN that the plan, as of now, is to retain the franchise’s use of burgundy and gold colors. Coach Ron Rivera had said the team wanted to include the military in its new name, as well.

Read more here 

New York City Reaches Milestone With No Reported Virus Deaths

(Bloomberg) – New York City, once the epicenter of the nation’s coronavirus outbreak, has just reported its first day with zero confirmed or probable virus deaths since the pandemic hit New York State.

The milestone came Sunday in initial data from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

It marked the end of a four-month stretch since the city reported its first Covid-19 fatality on March 11. The confirmed daily death count hit its height on April 7 at 597. Another 216 people were reported likely to have died from the virus despite no positive laboratory tests that day.

Find out more here

Biden Camp Rips Into Trump After He Finally Wears Mask In Public: ‘He Wasted Four Months’

(Talking Points Memo) – The Biden campaign was quick to call out President Trump after he finally wore a mask publicly after months of refusing to do so on Saturday night.

During a visit to wounded service members at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Saturday night, Trump visibly wore a mask for the first time following months of expressing his reluctance to comply with mask wearing requirements amid surging coronavirus cases throughout the country.

The move came after several prominent Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), urged the public to wear masks despite Trump and Vice President Mike Pence refusing to commit to issuing a nationwide mask mandate even after encouraging the public to adopt the practice.

The President told reporters on Saturday ahead of his visit to the medical center that he’ll “probably have a mask.”

Get the latest here

San Diego Fire Chief: US Navy Ship ‘Could Burn for Days’

(Reuters) – Flames raged for hours on Sunday aboard a U.S. warship docked at Naval Base San Diego, sending 21 people to the hospital with minor injuries and prompting a relocation of two other Navy vessels moored nearby, military and local fire officials said.

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department reported an explosion in conjunction with the blaze, which broke out at about 8:30 a.m. local time (1530 GMT) aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault vessel in port for routine maintenance.

The blast was believed to have been triggered by the rapid initial release of heat from a confined space under pressure, as opposed to an explosion of fuel or ordnance, Rear Admiral Philip Sobeck told a news conference on Sunday evening.

While the precise source of the blaze was unknown, the fire originated in a lower cargo hold of the ship and spread into the decks above it, consuming materials that typically burn in an office or apartment fire, Sobeck said.

See the damage here