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Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Wake-Up Call: 8 Dead In GA Massage Parlor Shootings

ajc.com photo

Eight people were killed in shootings at three massage parlors in Georgia yesterday evening, two of them in Atlanta and one in the suburb of Acworth. Many of the victims were women of Asian descent. 

Robert Long
The suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, was apprehended several hours later after a manhunt and car chase. The first attack took place around 5 p.m. at Youngs Asian Massage Parlor in Acworth, which is about 30 miles north of Atlanta. Five people were shot and four of them died. Just under an hour later, police responding to a robbery call found three women shot dead at Gold Spa in Atlanta. While there, police got a call about shots fired at another spa across the street, Aromatherapy Spa, and found a woman there who'd been killed. 

Long was seen on surveillance video driving up to the Acworth spa just before the shooting, according to authorities, who believe he's also the suspect in the Atlanta killings, with video footage showing his vehicle also in the area of those spas around the time of the attacks. Authorities are still investigating the motive.

➤BIDEN TELLS MIGRANTS NOT TO CROSS THE BORDER, SAYS CUOMO SHOULD RESIGN IF SEX HARASS CLAIMS TRUE: Amid a surge of unaccompanied minors illegally crossing the border with Mexico, straining the U.S. facilities to hold them, President Biden sent a message to migrants who might try to do it not to come. Biden made the comments when asked about the issue during an ABC News interview yesterday, saying, "I can say quite clearly, don't come over... don't leave your city, or town, or community." Republicans have charged more people are coming because of Biden easing some of former President Donald Trump's border policies, but Biden dismissed that idea and said there were also surges at the border in the last two years.

Cuomo Allegations: Biden also was asked in the interview about the claims of sexual harassment that have been made by several women in recent weeks against New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo. Biden said that if the state attorney general's investigation confirms the claims against Cuomo, he should resign, and added, "I think he’d probably end up being prosecuted, too." In the most serious of the allegations, a female staff member claims Cuomo groped her under her shirt late last year after summoning her to the governor's mansion.

➤INTELLIGENCE REPORT: RUSSIA, IRAN CARRIED OUT OPERATIONS TO INFLUENCE NOVEMBER ELECTION: A report released Tuesday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said that Russia and Iran carried out operations that were designed to influence the November election. Russia tried to help then-President Donald Trump beat Joe Biden, with efforts that included using media organizations, U.S. officials and people close to Trump to smear Biden. The declassified intelligence assessment also found that Iran carried out operations to harm Trump's re-election prospects and to undermine confidence in the election itself. Russia's efforts also sought to undermine confidence in the election and to also exacerbate social divisions in the U.S. However, the report found that although both countries carried out broad efforts to influence the election, there was no evidence any foreign actor changed votes or disrupted the voting process. The intelligence report said China didn't interfere on either side.

 

➤TWO KILLED IN FIREWORKS EXPLOSION IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Two people were killed yesterday when a large stash of what authorities believe to have been commercial-grade fireworks exploded in a home in the town of Ontario in southern California around midday. Windows were shattered in the residential neighborhood by the explosions, which sent up a huge plume of smoke. Ontario Fire Chief Ray Gayk said the two people who were killed appeared to have been inside or around the home. Three other people had minor injuries. Police Chief Mike Lorenz said they'd been called to the area in the past due to reports of fireworks being set off, which are illegal in Ontario.


➤HERE’S THE REAL REASON WE WEAR GREEN ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY:  In the U.S. if you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day you’ll probably wear the color green, but did you ever wonder how the color got such an association with the holiday? National Geographic says the original color of St. Patrick’s Day was blue. However, the color green was adopted by St. Patrick’s Day festivities in the 18th century after the shamrock became Ireland’s national symbol. Green also began to dominate due to Ireland’s nickname, “The Emerald Isle,” which became popularized in part because of the country’s lush landscape. USA Today also reports that green is associated with Irish nationalism, after the divide between the Irish people and the British monarchy grew, and the people of Ireland wanted to separate themselves from the British, hence they dropped the color blue, and adopted the color green. As for leprechauns, they have their roots in Irish folklore, and are likely based on Celtic fairies, called “lobaircins,” that are known for stirring up magic and mischief. This eventually led to the legend of leprechauns pinching people who don’t wear green on St. Patrick’s Day.


➤WHAT DID SHE SAY? Embattled The Talk co-host Sharon Osbourne called colleague Julie Chen “slanty eyes” and lesbian actress Sara Gilbert a “p—y licker,” according to Leah Remini, who spoke to journalist Yashar Ali. Osbourne’s publicist, Howard Bragman, told Ali in a statement, “The only thing worse than a disgruntled former employee is a disgruntled former talk show host. For 11 years Sharon has been kind, collegial and friendly with her hosts as evidenced by throwing them parties, inviting them to her home in the UK and other gestures of kindness too many to name. Sharon is disappointed but unfazed and hardly surprised by the lies, the recasting of history and the bitterness coming out at this moment. She will survive this, as she always has and her heart will remain open and good, because she refuses to let others take her down. She thanks her family, friends and fans for standing by her and knowing her true nature.”


➤POLL...80 PERCENT SUPPORT RAISING MINIMUM WAGE: Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour was taken out of the just-passed $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill because it didn't have enough support in the Senate, even among some Democrats. But a new Amazon/Ipsos poll out yesterday found a wide majority of Americans support raising the federal minimum wage, with 80 percent saying the current $7.25 a hour is too low, and two-thirds backing raising it to $15 per hour. Chris Jackson, senior VP of public affairs at Ipsos, said of the 80 percent support that, quote, "this level of agreement is practically unheard of in contemporary America." The poll also showed that respondents don't think it shouldn't all be on politicians to raise the minimum wage, with 80 percent believing large employers should play a role, higher than the 73 percent who believe politicians and policymakers should play a role.

➤LAB STILL AMERICA’S FAVORITE BREED, BUT THE FRENCH BULLDOG IS NIPPING AT ITS HEELS: What’s your favorite dog breed? Yesterday, the American Kennel Club (AKC) announced that French bulldogs are now recognized as the second-most popular purebred in America, just behind the Labrador retriever. Frenchies were also recognized as the favorite purebred for pet owners in Los Angeles for the third year running. The breed is so popular that it’s knocked the German shepherd, which held the second-place position since 2009, to third place, while the golden retriever and bulldog rounded out the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. For the Labrador retriever, this was its 30th straight year at the top of the list.




🏌TIGER WOODS HOME AFTER CAR CRASH: Tiger Woods is back home in Florida as he continues to recover from his February 23rd single-car SUV crash near Los Angeles in which he suffered serious leg injuries. Woods tweeted last night "Happy to report that I am back home and continuing my recovery. I am so grateful for the outpouring of support and encouragement that I have received over the past few weeks." He added, "I will be recovering at home and working on getting stronger every day." Woods underwent surgery on his lower right leg for shattered bones and other injuries that required putting a rod in his tibia and screws and pins in his foot and ankle. He thanked the medical staff at both hospitals where he was treated, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

🏈REPORT..QB DALTON AGREES TO ONE-YEAR, $10 MILLION DEAL WITH BEARS: Quarterback Andy Dalton has agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with the Chicago Bears, ESPN reported yesterday (March 16th). After nine years with the Cincinnati Bengals, Dalton, who's now 33, was with the Dallas Cowboys last season. He was brought on as a backup, but became the starter after Dak Prescott hurt his ankle in Week 5. Dalton was 4-5 in nine starts in 11 appearances.

🏈QB TAYLOR AGREES TO ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH TEXANS: Former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor has agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $12.5 million with the Houston Texans, according to media reports yesterday (March 16th). Houston is expecting Deshaun Watson to be its starting quarterback, but Watson, who signed a contract extension less than six months ago, has told head coach David Culley he doesn't want to play for Houston anymore, reportedly due to frustration over the process used to hire general manager Nick Caserio. If Watson refuses to play or Houston trades him, they now have a quarterback in Taylor to take over as the starter.

🏈SEXUAL ASSAULT CLAIM AGAINST TEXANS QB WATSON: Houston attorney Tony Buzbee said on social media last night that a sexual assault lawsuit has been filed against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Buzbee told local station Fox 26 that Watson allegedly, quote, "went too far" while he was getting a massage from a woman. Watson denied the allegations in a statement on Twitter, saying, in part, "I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect. The plaintiff's lawyer claims that this isn't about money, but before filing suit he made a baseless six-figure settlement demand, which I quickly rejected. Unlike him, this isn't about money for me -- it's about clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that."


🏒OVECHKIN MOVES INTO SIXTH PLACE ON CAREER GOALS LIST: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin moved into sixth place on the career goals list with his 718th last night (March 16th) to pass Phil Esposito. Ovechkin's goal came in the Capitals' 3-1 win over the New York Islanders. He is now 13 goals away from tying Marcel Dionne in fifth place, and would need 177 more goals to break Wayne Gretzky's record. Esposito congratulated Ovechkin in a video message, saying, "You are a fantastic hockey player.

⚾LEBRON REPORTEDLY BECOMES PART OWNER OF RED SOX: L.A. Lakers star LeBron James has become a part owner of MLB's Boston Red Sox, according to media reports yesterday (March 16th). James is reportedly joining Fenway Sports Group as a partner, giving him an ownership stake not only in the Red Sox, but also British soccer team Liverpool, Roush Fenway Racing, and regional sports network NESN. James already owns two percent of Liverpool, which is the current English Premier League champion.
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