Thursday, September 17, 2020

The Rundown: Sally Rain Continues To Threaten



At least one person was killed by Hurricane Sally after it came onshore near Gulf Shores, Alabama, close to the Florida border, Wednesday morning as a Category 2 storm with 105 mile-per-hour winds. One person died in Orange Beach, Alabama, and another was missing. The slow-moving storm dumped heavy rains in the region, with downtown Pensacola, Florida, having nearly three feet of water covering its streets that looked like rivers before receding. 


Sally also tore loose a construction crane that smashed into the year-old Three Mile Bridge over Pensacola Bay, causing a section of it to collapse, and ripped away a large section of a fishing pier at Alabama’s Gulf State Park on the same day a reopening ceremony had been planned after a renovation. 


More than 500,000 homes and business in Alabama and Florida were left without power. Sally had been downgraded to a tropical depression by late last night, but rain from the storm was still a threat to cause flooding, including from swollen rivers, in south Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. Flash flooding is also possible as it moves into Georgia and the Carolinas through today. 



➤TRUMP CONTRADICTS CDC DIRECTOR ON CORONAVIRUS VACCINE: President Trump contradicted U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield on a coronavirus vaccine yesterday, predicting that a safe, effective vaccine could be ready as early as next month and be in mass distribution across the country soon after. Speaking at a congressional hearing earlier in the day, Redfield had said health care workers, first responders and others at high risk would get a vaccine first -- if one is approved -- possibly in January or even late this year, but it would unlikely to be available more broadly across the country before late spring or summer. Trump called Redfield "confused" for using that time frame, saying, "We think we can start sometime in October." Redfield also spoke about the importance of wearing face masks, saying, "I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine," suggesting a possible vaccine effectiveness of 70 percent. Trump disputed that as well, saying, "Vaccine is much more effective than the mask," and suggested "problems" with masks, a claim not backed by doctors or scientists.

Addressing the vaccine issue while campaigning, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said yesterday, "I trust vaccines, I trust scientists, but I don’t trust Donald Trump, and at this moment, the American people can’t, either."


➤WHISTLEBLOWER: FEDERAL OFFICIALS CONSIDERED USING 'HEAT RAY' ON LAFAYETTE SQUARE PROTESTERS: A National Guard whistleblower said that federal officials tried to get a "heat ray" device to use against peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square across from the White House on June 1st, the same day the protesters were controversially forcibly cleared, including with the use of chemical agents, before President Trump walked across to take a photo holding a Bible in front of a church. National Guard Major Adam DeMarco said in written responses to questions from a House committee first reported on by The Washington Post and National Public Radio yesterday that the Defense Department’s lead military police officer for the National Capital Region sent an email asking if the D.C. National Guard had the "heat ray," which is called an "Active Denial System," or a long-range acoustic device. DeMarco said he responded that the Guard didn't have either. The Active Denial System, which was developed nearly two decades ago, emits a beam of energy that causes a burning heat sensation. It was considered a non-lethal method of crowd control, but it's unclear if it's ever actually been used in combat, with questions about whether it causes more serious injuries or burns than initially thought. The acoustic device, or sound cannon, sends out loud messages or sounds and has been used by law enforcement to disperse crowds.

➤U.S. CHARGES FIVE CHINESE CITIZENS IN HACKING CAMPAIGN: Justice Department officials announced yesterday that the U.S. has charged five Chinese citizens with a hacking campaign that targeted more than 100 companies and institutions in the U.S. and other nations, including social media, companies, video game companies, universities and telecommunications companies. The five are fugitives, but two Malaysian businessmen charged with conspiring with the hackers were arrested this week and face extradition. The hacking campaign was driven by both financial motives as well as for espionage. While the Justice Department didn't directly link the hackers to the Chinese government, officials said they were probably acting as proxies, because some of the targets didn't seem to be about money and aligned with the Chinese government's interests.



⚾DODGERS FIRST TO CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH: The L.A. Dodgers became the first MLB team to clinch a playoff spot yesterday with a 7-5 win over the San Diego Padres. There is an expanded 16-team playoffs during this coronavirus-shortened, 60-game season.

🏈BIG 10 REVERSES, WILL NOW PLAY FOOTBALL IN THE FALL: The Big 10 announced Wednesday that it had reversed its decision to postpone the football season to the spring because of the coronavirus pandemic and will now play in the fall. The one-eighty came less than five weeks after the Big 10 said the season would move to the spring. The conference said it plans to begin its football season the weekend of October 23rd, and all 14 teams will play a condensed schedule of eight regular-season games in eight weeks, plus have the opportunity to play a ninth game on December 19th when the conference championship game is played. The conference is planning to have daily coronavirus testing of athletes, coaches and staff starting September 30th. The decision to play came after pressure from coaches, players, parents and President Trump.]

🏀NCAA BASKETBALL SEASON TO BEGIN NOVEMBER 25TH: The NCAA men's and women's basketball season will begin on November 25th, the day before Thanksgiving, with the Division I Council voting yesterday to push the start date back from the originally scheduled November 10th. The later date lines up with most schools having decided to send students home from Thanksgiving until January because of concerns about a coronavirus surge during that time. Having closed campuses could provide a bubble-like atmosphere for players. Division I Council Chair Grace Calhoun said, "The fact our campuses will be clearing out, it will be possible to just further control the exposures, and the 25th gives us that opportunity."

➤LEBRON MAKES ALL-NBA TEAM FOR RECORD 16TH TIME: LeBron James was named an All-NBA team member for a record 16th time on Wednesday. The L.A. Lakers star previously shared the record at 15 times with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. He was a first-team pick on all 100 ballots, joining the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only unanimous first-team selections this season. Also on the first team were: the Houston Rockets' James Harden, the Lakers' Anthony Davis, and the Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic, in just his second NBA season.
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