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Thursday, April 1, 2021

Wake-Up Call: No Foolin'.. Biden Pitches $2.3T Infrastructure Plan


Fresh off passage of his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief measure, President Biden yesterday announced a sweeping $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan that he called a "once-in-a-generation investment in America." Emphasizing the jobs-creation aspect of the proposal, Biden, speaking at a Pittsburgh carpenters union training center, said, "It's the largest American jobs investment since World War Two. It will create millions of jobs, good-paying jobs." 


He proposes paying the massive bill with higher corporate taxes, reversing their tax cuts in former President Donald Trump's 2017 tax overhaul. According to the White House, the biggest part of the plan includes $621 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, electric vehicle charging stations and other transportation infrastructure, with another $111 billion going to replacing lead water pipes and upgrading sewers. Its provisions would also expand broadband internet, upgrade the power grid to provide clean electricity, retrofit homes, modernize schools, strengthen U.S. manufacturing, and more. 

Biden plan faces Republican opposition, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell dismissing it as a, quote, "Trojan horse" for tax increases.

➤FOUR DEAD, INCLUDING CHILD, IN CALIFORNIA OFFICE COMPLEX SHOOTING: Four people were killed, including a child, in a shooting yesterday afternoon at an office complex in the Southern California city of Orange. One woman was critically wounded, as was the gunman, according to police. It's unclear if the gunman shot himself or was shot by police. Officials didn't have any information about the motive behind the attack. Governor Gavin Newsom tweeted about the shooting, calling it, "Horrifying and heartbreaking."

➤ON THIRD DAY OF TRIAL, CHAUVIN HEARD SAYING ON BODYCAM HAD TO 'CONTROL' FLOYD: Jurors heard testimony from more witnesses and saw several pieces of video, including police bodycam footage, on the third day yesterday of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's murder and manslaughter trial in the death last May of George Floyd. In one piece of footage, after a motionless Floyd had been taken away by paramedics, bystander Charles McMillan told Chauvin he didn't respect what he'd done, and the officer responded, "That’s one person’s opinion. We gotta control this guy ’cause he’s a sizable guy... and it looks like he’s probably on something."
 

Jurors also saw bodycam video of three officers struggling to get Floyd into a police car, as he cried out, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," and "I'm claustrophobic!" They eventually stopped, leading Floyd to thank them, but then they took him to the ground facedown and handcuffed him, and Chauvin put his knee on Floyd's neck. Another officer put his knee in Floyd's back and a third held his legs as they spoke about whether he might be on drugs. One officer, Thomas Lane, twice asked if they should roll Floyd on his side, and later said he thought Floyd was passing out. Another officer at one point checked for a pulse and couldn't find one.

Also testifying yesterday was Christopher Martin, who was behind the counter at the Cup Foods store when Floyd allegedly used a counterfeit $20 bill. Martin said he immediately thought the bill was fake, but accepted it because he didn't think Floyd knew, saying, "I though I'd be doing him a favor." But then he reconsidered and told a manager, who sent him outside to ask Floyd to come back. Floyd refused, and the manager had the police called. Martin said that he watched Floyd's arrest with, quote, "disbelief -- and guilt."

NY Post 4/1/21
➤SUSPECT ARRESTED IN NYC ATTACK ON 65-YEAR-OLD ASIAN-AMERICAN WOMAN: New York City police said yesterday that a 38-year-old man on lifetime parole after killing his mother two decades ago was arrested on assault and hate crime charges in the vicious attack on a 65-year-old Asian-American woman Monday near Times Square. Police said Brandon Elliot was the man seen on surveillance video kicking the woman, knocking her to the ground and stomping on her face while using anti-Asian slurs. 

Eliot lived at a nearby hotel that serves as a homeless shelter. He was released from prison in 2019 after having been convicted of stabbing his mother to death in 2002. AP cited a law enforcement official, who identified the woman as Vilma Kari, a Filipino American, as saying she suffered serious injuries including a fractured pelvis. The victim was attacked outside the front door of a building lobby, and two workers inside were suspended after being criticized for not intervening. Their union said yesterday that they waited until the attacker left because he had a knife and then flagged down a police car.

➤CDC PROVIDES EASTER GUIDANCE, SAYS FULLY VACCINATED PEOPLE CAN GATHER WITHOUT MASKS: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially released its coronavirus guidance for Easter. The guidance says you should celebrate virtually, and avoid travel if possible. They also added that those who are fully vaccinated may gather together without face masks. The CDC also reiterated guidance it previously offered, including the importance of wearing face masks in certain instances, keeping social distance, washing your hands often, and avoiding crowded, poorly ventilated areas. Also, outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor gatherings, and anyone hosting a gathering should limit the number of guests when possible.
 

➤NY BECOMES ONLY STATE TO ALLOW POT SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES, INCLUDING SIEDWALKS: New York became the latest state to legalize recreational use of marijuana yesterday when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation passed by lawmakers. Legalization was immediate for those over age 21, with no arrest or prosecution for possession of up to three ounces of marijuana, but legal sales won't be start for about 18 months until regulations for it are established. But in a difference from the 15 other states that have legalized recreational use, New York's new law allows marijuana smoking in public, including on sidewalks. It's not allowed, however, in places where cigarette smoking is banned, such as workplaces, bars and restaurants, and there are some stricter local cigarette smoking rules that will apply, such as New York City banning smoking in parks and on beaches. Local governments can also pass tougher marijuana use rules as long as they don't, quote, "essentially prohibit" lawful use.

➤CDC: COVID-19 WAS THIRD-LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN U.S. IN 2020: A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report out yesterday shows that Covid-19 was the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. last year, after heart disease and cancer. The CDC said the overall U.S. mortality rate increased for the first time since 2017, by nearly 16 percent, with the increase driven by Covid. The death rate from Covid was highest among Hispanics, followed by non-Hispanic Blacks. The death rate was lowest among children ages 5 to 14, with 134 deaths from Covid in that age group, and highest in those over age 85, with 120,648 deaths among that group.

➤PENTAGON REVERSES TRUMP'S TRANSGENDER MILITARY POLICIES: The Pentagon yesterday reversed former President Donald Trump's policies that largely banned transgender people from serving in the military. A Defense Department spokesman said that under the new regulations, transgender people who meet military standards will be allowed to enlist and serve openly and will be able to get transition-related care. In the final year of former President Barack Obama's administration, the Pentagon changed their rules to let transgender people already in the military to serve openly, and to allow them to enlist the following year. But after Trump took office, he delayed the date to allow enlistment, and then a few weeks later, he tweeted that transgender people wouldn't be allowed to serve in the miliary. After a legal battle and further review, a policy was approved in 2019 that barred transgender troops from transitioning and required most to serve in their "birth gender."


➤PALIN SAYS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID, URGES MASK-WEARING: Former Alaska Governor and 2004 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin told People magazine that she'd tested positive for Covid-19, and urged people to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, including wearing face masks. She said, "[I] view wearing that cumbersome mask indoors in a crowd as not only allowing the newfound luxury of being incognito, but trust it’s better than doing nothing to slow the spread." Palin said that other members of her family, including her 12-year-old son Trig, also tested positive, and spoke about her symptoms, including losing her sense of taste. She added, "I strongly encourage everyone to use common sense to avoid spreading this and every other virus out there."

➤FB BOOTS TRUMP VIDEO INTERVIEW:  Facebook suspended former President Donald Trump in the wake of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, and this week it pulled down an interview he did with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, saying the ban also applies to, quote, "content in the voice of Donald Trump." Video of the 18-minute interview was posted Tuesday night by Lara Trump, who Fox News Channel just hired as a contributor, before being removed from Facebook and Instagram, which it owns. Lara, who's married to Eric Trump, posted the email Facebook sent notifying her of the policy, and added, "and just like that, we are one step closer to Orwell's 1984." Facebook is having a new independent board decide whether Trump's suspension should be permanent or not. Twitter, which also suspended Trump after the Capitol attack, has said its ban won't be lifted.


⚾BIDEN..'MISTAKE' FOR RANGERS TO ALLOW FANS AT FULL CAPACITY: When baseball returns with MLB's Opening Day today, a lot of stadiums will be allowing fans at reduced capacity, but the Texas Rangers are the only team that plans to allow fans at full capacity when they have their home opener on Monday (April 5th), and President Biden said yesterday that he believes that's a mistake. Speaking in an ESPN interview, Biden said, "'[T]hat's a decision they made. I think it's a mistake. They should listen to Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, the scientists and the experts. But I think it's not responsible." The Rangers are requiring fans to wear masks except when eating or drinking at their seats. The teams that will have the lowest fan capacity for their openers, 12 percent, are the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals. The highest fan capacity other than the Rangers will be allowed by the Houston Astros, at 50 percent.

⚾OPENING DAY FOR BASEBALL TODAY: It's baseball's opening day today, with MLB trying to return to a semblance of normal after a coronavirus-shortened season last year. As part of that, fans will be returning to stadiums, but all teams but one -- the Texas Rangers -- will allow them only in reduced capacity, and with restrictions requiring face masks and social distancing. When the Rangers have their home opener next Monday, they will allow fans in at full capacity. The season will kick off with a full slate of 15 games today, but the Washington Nationals will be starting without five players, after one tested positive for the coronavirus this week, and the others are quarantining because they were in close contact with him.

⚾METS AGREE TO 10-YEAR, $341 MILLION DEAL KEEPING LINDOR: The New York Mets have agreed to a 10-year, $341 million deal to keep shortstop Francisco Lindor, after they acquired him from the Cleveland Indians during the offseason, according to media reports yesterday. The 27-year-old Lindor was an All-Star in four of his six MLB seasons, all of them with the Indians. The deal is the largest ever for a shortstop, passing Fernando Tatis Jr.'s $340 million, 14-year contract with the San Diego Padres in February.

🏌CAUSE OF TIGER WOODS' CRASH FOUND, BUT SHERIFF WON'T REVEAL: L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said yesterday that detectives had determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV on February 23rd in Southern California, but he wouldn't publicly reveal it, citing unspecified privacy concerns. Woods suffered serious leg injuries in the crash when he crossed two oncoming lanes and went into a downhill area, uprooting a tree. Woods told deputies he didn't know how the crash happened and didn't remember driving. Villanueva has been criticized for calling the crash "purely an accident" and saying there was no evidence of impairment. Investigators didn't seek a search warrant to test Woods' blood for drugs and alcohol. Speaking during a live social media event yesterday, the sheriff said, "A cause has been determined, the investigation has concluded." But he claimed investigators needed Woods' permission to release information about the crash.

➤SUPREME COURT HEARS CASE ABOUT EDUCATION-RELATED COMPENSATION FOR COLLEGE PLAYERS: The Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a case over whether schools can offer Division I basketball and football college athletes tens of thousands of dollars in education-related benefits, for things like computers, graduate scholarships, tutoring, study abroad and internships. Under the NCAA's current rules, students can't be paid and the scholarship money they can be offered is capped at the cost of attending the school. The former college athletes who brought the case said the rules are unfair and violate federal antitrust law designed to promote competition. The NCAA said removing restrictions would create bidding wars for the best players, which it argues could eliminate the distinction between college and pro sports. Justices from both the liberal and conservative wings of the high court seemed sympathetic to the athletes' argument, however others expressed concern about ruling for them, with Justice Stephen Breyer saying, "I worry a lot about judges getting into the business of deciding how amateur sports should be run." The case is only about education-related benefits, not about paying college athletes. 


🏒SABRES END 18-GAME WINLESS STREAK: The Buffalo Sabres ended their 18-game winless streak last night with a 6-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The win was Buffalo's first since February 23rd, ending the NHL's longest winless streak in 17 years. They'd gone 0-15-3 over the stretch.
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