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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Wake-Up Call: Death Toll Rises In FL Condo-Collapse


The confirmed death toll rose to 11 yesterday in the partial collapse of a Surfside, Florida, condominium building after two more bodies were found. The search continued into a sixth day today, with rescuers working on the unsteady mound of debris, using not only machinery but sniffer dogs, radar and sonar devices. 

Miami Herald website screenshot 6/29/21



There are 150 people still missing and no-one has been pulled from the rubble alive since the day of the collapse. Speaking of the conditions, Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah said, "Every time there’s an action, there’s a reaction. It’s not an issue of we could just attach a couple of cords to a concrete boulder and lift it and call it a day."



➤PACIFIC NORTHWEST HAS HOTTEST DAY OF HISTORIC HEAT WAVE: The Pacific Northwest suffered through the hottest day of its historic heatwave yesterday, with temperatures breaking records that were set just a day earlier in the region not accustomed to that kind of brutal heat. Among the readings, Portland, Oregon, reached 116 degrees and Seattle hit 108 degrees. Schools and businesses closed, light rail and street car service was suspended in Portland because of melting power cables, and roads were buckling in many areas because of heat-related expansion. 


Meteorologists said the extreme temperatures were being caused by a "dome" of high pressure.

➤HOUSE TO VOTE ON BILL CREATING COMMITTEE TO PROBE JANUARY 6TH ATTACK ON U.S. CAPITOL: The House is expected to vote this week on a measure to create a committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. According to the legislation released yesterday by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the committee would have 13 members -- eight appointed by Pelosi and five appointed after "consultation with" Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy -- and subpoena power. The effort to create a House committee, which will be led by the majority Democrats, came after Senate Republicans blocked the creation of an independent, bipartisan commission.

➤JUDGE DISMISSES ANTITRUST LAWSUITS AGAINST FACEBOOK: A federal judge yesterday dismissed antitrust lawsuits brought against Facebook by the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of state attorneys general. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said the lawsuits were, quote, "legally insufficient," and didn’t show enough evidence to prove Facebook is a monopoly. The FTC could still refile another complaint, and it said it's "assessing the best option forward." However, Boasberg's ruling entirely voids the states' action. Lawmakers of both parties in favor of the antitrust actions says the ruling shows new legislation is needed.


🚔CHARLOTTE POLICE TO TRY 'CUSTOMER SERVICE' APPROACH: Charlotte, North Carolina's police force is going to be trying something different in an effort at reform, with officers to take a "customer service" approach. Charlotte Police Chief Johnny Jennings told ABC News that the idea, which he described as "totally outside the box and totally different," came to him after he had a positive experience at a Chick-fil-a. He explained, "I started thinking, every time I go there, the voices are so friendly, the food is consistent and I leave there with a positive impression and a good feeling that I was valued as a customer. And as I thought about that, I said, 'Why can't we duplicate some of that with our interactions with the public, from a police perspective?'" Jennings got help from a customer service expert, John DiJulius, and his consulting firm, and developed training for officers that emphasizes being more empathetic toward members of the public and better ways to de-escalate situations. One simple example is having officers introduce themselves, with DiJulius explaining, "Instead of walking up to the car saying, 'License and registration,' they can walk up and, say, 'Hello, ma'am. I'm Officer Smith. The reason why I pulled you over is...'" Jennings hopes this customer service approach will build back trust with the community, saying, "[I]n every effort that we can, we want to leave a positive impression about who we are."


➤JAMES CORDEN TO REVISE SPILL YOUR GUTS AFTER BACKLASH:  James Corden is revising his Spill Your Guts segment after a viral TikTok video highlighted how several segments from the show used Asian delicacies in the segment, such as balut (boiled fertilized egg dish), pídàn (thousand-year-old egg) and xuě dòufǔ (pig blood).

They were all designed to punish and horrify guests. Kim Saira, the author of the TikTok video, started a Change.org petition calling for the segment to be taken off the air, for Corden to formally apologize and for the show to donate money to local Asian American organizations. More than 45,000 people have signed.

“In the wake of the constant Asian hate crimes that have continuously been occurring, not only is this segment incredibly culturally offensive and insensitive, but it also encourages anti-Asian racism. So many Asian Americans are consistently bullied and mocked for their native foods, and this segment amplifies and encourages it,” the petition reads.

Corden recently told Howard Stern that he would keep but adjust the segment, and focus more on diet-busting foods like pizza covered in cheeseburgers.

➤SUPREME COURT WON'T HEAR APPEAL TO REINSTATE TRANSGENDER BATHROOM BAN: The Supreme Court yesterday turned down the request from a Virginia school board to hear its appeal of lower court rulings that found its transgender bathroom ban to be unconstitutional. The case was originally brought six years ago by Gavin Grimm, a then 15-year-old student at Gloucester High School, after he was banned from using the boys bathroom. Grimm filed a lawsuit over being required to use bathrooms that matched his biological female sex or private bathrooms. He'd argued that being forced to use the nurse’s room, a private bathroom, or the girl’s bathroom was humiliating and severely interfered with his education.

➤TRUMP ORG. ATTORNEYS MEET WITH PROSECUTORS IN FINAL BID TO PREVENT CHARGES: Trump Organization lawyers met with prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office yesterday in a final bid to argue that former President Donald Trump's company shouldn't face criminal charges over its financial activities. Attorney Ron Fischetti told the Associated Press that prosecutors had said Trump himself won't be charged at this time, but that the investigation is continuing. He said the grand jury is nearing a vote on a possible indictment this week. Trump issued a statement in which he blasted the D.A.'s office and called the investigation a, quote, "continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt of all time."

➤JUUL TO PAY NORTH CAROLINA $40 MILLION IN SETTLEMENT: E-cigarette maker Juul has agreed to pay $40 million to North Carolina in a settlement that avoids a trial that was to start next month, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday. This is the first of many lawsuits that have been brought against Juul charging it targeted underage users, with state Attorney General Josh Stein saying, "North Carolina is now the first state in the nation to hold Juul accountable for its instrumental role in creating a youth vaping epidemic." The Raleigh News & Observer said that Juul must pay the first $13 million in 30 days, and that the money will be used to help teenagers quit vaping. Juul stopped selling sweet flavors in 2019, and only has menthol or tobacco flavors now.  

🧨FAMILIES STOCK UP ON FIREWORKS FOR JULY 4TH AMID SUPPLY SHORTAGE:   If you’re hoping to get some fireworks to set off in your backyard for the Fourth of July, you might be out of luck. Families tell Fox News they’ve started buying them as soon as they see them amid reports of an ongoing shortage of fireworks. Earlier this month, Ohio-based Phantom Fireworks, the country’s largest consumer-based retail fireworks company, urged shoppers to buy their fireworks well in advance due to supply chain issues and global shipment delays. Also, the shortage means some cities have already canceled their fireworks due to lack of supplies.


🏒LIGHTNING TOP CANADIENS 5-1 IN GAME 1 OF STANLEY CUP FINAL: The defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning took Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on their home ice last night, beating the Montreal Canadiens 5-1. Nikita Kucherov, who just came back from an injury three days earlier, scored two of Tampa Bay's goals and had an assist against the Canadiens, who are trying to win their first championship since 1993. Game 2 will take place Wednesday night in Tampa. [Look in 'Last Night's TV' audio for sound from the game.]

🏒NBA PLAYOFFS: Results from Conference Finals yesterday:
L.A. Clippers 116, Phoenix Suns 102 - Phoenix leads series 3 games to 2

🏀HAWKS' YOUNG HAS BONE BRUISE, UNCERTAIN FOR GAME 4: An MRI yesterday showed that Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young has a bone bruise in his foot and he's listed as questionable for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight. Young sprained his ankle late in the third quarter of Game 3 Sunday when he accidentally stepped on a referee's foot.
 

🎾WIMBLEDON RETURNS AFTER 2020 CANCELLATION: It was Day One of the Wimbledon tennis tournament Monday, which returned after being canceled last year for the first time since World War Two because of the pandemic. Winning on the opening day was top-seeded Novak Djokovic, and the U.K.'s Andy Murray, and there was a first-round upset of Number 3 Stefanos Tsitispas by American Frances Tiafoe. On the women's side, American Sloane Stephens upset Number 10 Petra Kvitova and fourth-seeded American Sofia Kenin won her match. But there were lots of matches suspended and postponed because of rain and later darkness.

⚾VANDERBILT WINS GAME 1 OF CWS FINALS OVER MISSISSIPPI STATE 8-2: Vanderbilt won Game 1 of the College World Series finals over Mississippi State 8-2 yesterday at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. Seven of Vanderbilt's eight runs came in the first inning, after Mississippi State had taken the lead on a home run in the top half by Kamren James. Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter allowed just two runs and three hits and struck out eight in six innings before giving way to reliever Nick Maldonado. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is tonight.

🏀KIDD OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED AS MAVERICKS HEAD COACH: Jason Kidd was officially announced as the Dallas Mavericks' new head coach on Monday. Kidd, who played for Dallas for several seasons, including when they won their only championship in 2011, is replacing Rick Carlisle, the winningest coach in franchise history who resigned earlier this month. Kidd has been head coach for the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, and was an assistant coach the last two season for the L.A. Lakers.
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