The AM Rundown: ACB Confirmed To Supreme Court

➤TAKES OATH AT WHITE HOUSE EVENT: Judge Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the Supreme Court in 52-48 Senate vote yesterday evening in a near party-line vote, with only Republican Senator Susan Collins crossing lines to join with all the Democrats in voting against her confirmation. The confirmation was the closest ever to a presidential election, and the first in modern times with no support from the minority party. Barrett was sworn in by Justice Clarence Thomas at an event on the South Lawn of the White House before some 200 people, who, unlike at her White House nomination event where it's believed several in attendance may have contracted the coronavirus, including potentially President Trump, the chairs were distanced and most attendees wore masks. 

"The oath that I have solemnly taken tonight means at its core that I will do my job without any fear or favor, and that I will do so independently of both the political branches and of my own preferences," Amy Coney Barrett says at White House event.https://t.co/HZiMZn7Nyu pic.twitter.com/tdOpr9na9O

— ABC News (@ABC) October 27, 2020

In her remarks, Barrett said she'd vote independently, including of her own policy preferences, and would do her job, quote, "without fear or favor." With the conservative Barrett replacing late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the high court's conservative tilt increases from 5-4 to 6-3.

➤CORONAVIRUS DEATHS RISING: As coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have been rising as the warned-about fall wave has arrived, deaths are now rising too. The average deaths per day across the country are up 10 percent over the past two weeks, from 721 to nearly 794 as of Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Deaths are up in 34 states, and coronavirus cases are rising in 47 states. Deaths are still well below the peak in the U.S. of 2,200 per day in late April, but experts are warning that it will be a difficult rest of the fall and winter ahead. 

In El Paso, Texas, authorities told people to stay home for two weeks and imposed a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. because of a surge in cases that has overwhelmed hospitals. In Utah, an also overwhelmed hospital system has led it to the brink of having to ration care. 

L-A Times 10/27/2020

➤TWO FIREFIGHTERS CRITICALLY INJURED BY CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE, 90,000 TOLD TO EVACUATE: Two firefighters were critically injured Monday by a California wildfire that nearly quadrupled in size during the day. It and another new wildfire led to 90,000 people being told to evacuate from their homes. The firefighters suffered second- and third-degree burns. Southern California Edison said a power line may have been involved in the start of the Silverado Fire near Irvine, which has burned 7,200 acres. The new wildfires come as California and the region are under major fire risk from hot, dry weather, in what has already been a historic fire season in the western U.S.
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➤HURRICANE ZETA MAKES LANDFALL IN MEXICO, U.S. GULF COAST IN SIGHTS: Hurricane Zeta made landfall late Monday as a Category 1 storm on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula near Tulum with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour. Zeta is forecast to lose some power while crossing the Yucatan before regaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico as it heads towards the U.S. Gulf Coast, with landfall likely Wednesday night. A hurricane watch has been posted from Morgan City, Louisiana, to the Mississippi-Alabama border.

A blast of frigid Arctic air has descended over the Western United States, toppling records far and wide as readings plummet to some 40 degrees below average for this time of year. Temperatures throughout much of the Rockies dipped below zero to start the week, falling as low as minus-29.2 in Potomac, Mont., early Sunday — the coldest temperature ever observed this early in the season across the Lower 48.

FINAL: The @RamsNFL improve to 5-2! #CHIvsLAR #RamsHouse

(by @Lexus) pic.twitter.com/AV7wIrnHip

— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2020

🏈RAMS DOWN BEARS 24-10: The Los Angeles Rams downed the Chicago Bears 24-10 at home last night in a game dominated by their defense. Rams linebacker Leonard Floyd had two sacks of Nick Foles in his first game against the Bears since they released him last offseason, half of the four times the quarterback was sacked by L.A., which also picked off two of his passes. Rams quarterback Jared Goff threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

⚾DODGERS EYEING WORLD SERIES WIN TONIGHT, RAYS HOPING TO FORCE GAME 7: The Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays will meet in Game 6 of the World Series tonight, with L.A., leading 3 games to 2 and eyeing a championship win, and the Rays hoping to force a Game 7. The Dodgers haven't won the World Series since 1988, and the Rays have yet to win one, after losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in their only previous trip to the championship series in 2008. Tony Gonsolin will start for the Dodgers and Blake Snell for the Rays.

🏈BECKHAM OUT FOR SEASON AFTER TORN KNEE LIGAMENT CONFIRMED: Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is out for the rest of the season after an MRI confirmed Monday that he had a torn ACL knee ligament. The star receiver suffered the injury near the start of the Browns' 37-34 win over the Cincinnati Bengals a day earlier when his leg buckled while he was trying to make a tackle.

🏈NEWTON ADMITS JOB COULD BE IN JEOPARDY: New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton admitted yesterday that his job could be in jeopardy, after he was pulled early in the fourth quarter of the Pats' 33-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Newton said on Boston sports radio station WEEI, "The first thing I said to myself coming home was, 'You keep playing games like that, bro, and it's going to be a permanent change.' You don't need to tell me that for me to understand that. I get it loud and clear." However, coach Bill Belichick said he's, quote, "absolutely" sticking with Newton as his starter.

➤NASCAR PLAYOFF RACE DELAYED AGAIN DUE TO WEATHER: The NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Texas was delayed for another day Monday due to weather, with misty conditions and temperatures in the low 40s. They'll try again today, although the forecast is similar. Only 52 of the race's scheduled 334 laps were completed Sunday before mist and drizzle forced the race to stop and be postponed a day, but no laps were gotten in yesterday. Another 115 laps have to be completed to get to the halfway mark that would make it an official race. There are still three open spots for the four-driver championship race in the season finale at Phoenix, and the only other race before that is on Sunday at Martinsville.