Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Wake-Up Call: 8-Year-Old Boy Is Sixth Victim Of Parade Carnage


An eight-year-old boy who was injured when a man plowed his SUV through the Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade on Sunday died on Tuesday (November 23rd), becoming the sixth fatality. Jackson Sparks is the youngest victim, with the other five ranging in age from 52 to 81. Several of the 62 people who were injured, including children, remain in critical condition. 

Meanwhile, the suspect, 39-year-old Darrell Brooks Jr., appeared in court for a hearing yesterday, as the charges of first degree intentional homicide were detailed and bail was set at $5 million. The criminal complaint alleges that he intended to hit parade marchers and spectators, steering his vehicle from side to side, and that he ignored several attempts to stop him. Brooks, who has a long criminal history, cried and rocked in his seat throughout the hearing. Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson has said Brooks was leaving the scene of a domestic dispute minutes earlier when he drove through the parade. He had been released on $1,000 bail days earlier after allegedly hitting a woman with his car, reportedly the mother of his child.

➤JURY AWARDS $26 MILLION IN DAMAGES OVER 2017 CHARLOTTESVILLE RALLY VIOLENCE: Jurors in a federal civil trial yesterday ordered 17 white nationalist leaders and organizations to pay more than $26 million in damages over the violence during the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The jurors deadlocked on two key claims in the lawsuit filed by nine people who suffered physical or emotional injuries, but found the defendants liable on four other claims. They included a state law conspiracy claim and a claim of intimidation, harassment or violence motivated by racial, religious or ethnic animosity. The other two claims were against James Fields Jr., who's serving a life sentence after he intentionally drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer. Jurors were unable to reach verdicts on two main claims based on the federal Ku Klux Klan Act, asking that they find the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to commit racially motivated violence and knew about the conspiracy but failed to stop it from being carried out.

➤JURORS BEGIN DELIBERATING IN ARBERY MURDER TRIAL: After the conclusion of closing arguments and instructions from the judge yesterday, jurors in the Georgia murder trial of three white men charged in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was running through their neighborhood, began their deliberations. They met for about six hours before being dismissed for the day and will resume deliberations this morning. Defense attorneys have presented it as a case of self-defense, saying Arbery ran toward and punched Travis McMichael and grabbed for McMichael's shotgun after he, his father Greg McMichael, and neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan chased him down in their pickup trucks in February 2020. The prosecutor said the defendants had no evidence Arbery committed any crimes, but assumed he'd burglarized a home under construction. Security cameras at the home didn't show Arbery stealing or damaging anything.

🛢ADMINISTRATION TO RELEASE OIL FROM STRATEGIC RESERVE WITH GOAL OF BRINGING DOWN GAS PRICES: President Biden yesterday ordered that a record 50 million barrels of oil be released from the nation's strategic reserve, with the goal of bringing down high gas prices. The U.S. is acting in coordination with other nations including the U.K., India and China, who are also releasing oil from their reserves. Biden said, "While our combined actions will not solve the problems of high gas prices overnight, it will make a difference. It will take time, but before long you should see the price of gas drop where you fill up your tank." The oil will begin to hit the market in mid- to late December.

 
➤JAN. 6 COMMITTEE SUBPOENAS PROUD BOYS, OATH KEEPERS AND THEIR LEADERS: The House committee investigating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol issued subpoenas yesterday (November 23rd) to the extremist Proud Boys and Oath Keepers organizations and their leaders, the latest in a flurry of recent subpoenas. They are requesting both testimony and documents. Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee chairman, said in a statement, "The Select Committee is seeking information from individuals and organizations reportedly involved with planning the attack, with the violent mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6th, or with efforts to overturn the results of the election."

➤NEW YORK TO ALLOW SOME NON-CITIZENS VOTE IN LOCAL ELECTIONS: The New York City Council is planning to approve legislation that would allow non-citizens who are green card holders or have the right to work in the U.S. to vote in city elections. It would affect some 800,000 city residents, who'd also be able to register as members of political parties. It's expected to be approved in a December 9th vote by a veto-proof margin, and even though outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio said he's opposed to the measure, he said he won't veto it. Incoming Mayor-elect Eric Adams, who, like de Blasio, is a Democrat, has said he supports allowing green card holders to vote in local elections. Suppporters of the measure say non-citizens in the city legally pay taxes, send their children to public school and rely on city services, and should have some say in who becomes mayor or represents them on the City Council. But opponents say it would weaken citizens' voting rights and discourage immigrants from trying to become citizens. De Blasio has said he believes only the State Legislature can grant non-citizens the right to vote, but the Council's staff determined no federal or state law bars New York City from expanding the right to vote in local elections, but also concluded the measure might be vulnerable to a legal challenge.

➤MEDICAL EXAMINER: BRIAN LAUNDRIE DIED OF SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT TO HEAD: The Sarasota County, Florida, medical examiner said yesterday that Brian Laundrie, whose skeletal remains were found in a nature preserve swamp last month, died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Investigators had been searching for the 23-year-old for more than a month, as he was a person of interest in the death of his girlfriend, Gabby Petito. Laundrie had returned alone to his parents' Florida home two weeks before his September 14th disappearance, after having been on a months-long cross-country van trip with Petito. As her parents frantically sought information on Petito's whereabouts, Laundrie wouldn't say anything. Thee 22-year-old's body was found on September 19th on the edge of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, An autopsy concluded she was strangled to death and it was ruled a homicide.

🚀NASA LAUNCHES SPACECRAFT FOR ASTEROID DEFLECTION TEST: NASA launched a spacecraft last night for a mission to smash into an asteroid in order to test whether it would be possible to knock an asteroid off course if it were on a collision course with Earth. Plans are for the DART spacecraft -- which stands for Double Asteroid Redirection Test -- to hit into the 525-foot asteroid Dimorphos in September 2022. The asteroid isn't actually a threat to our planet. Mission official Nancy Chabot said, "This isn’t going to destroy the asteroid. It’s just going to give it a small nudge."


💲DOLLAR TREE RAISING PRICES TO $1.25, FIRST CHANGE IN 35 YEARS: Dollar Tree has announced that it's going to raise prices for most things in its stores to $1.25, in what will be its first price hike since its founding 35 years ago in 1986. The new main price will go into effect at around 2,000 U.S. Dollar Tree stores in December, and then the remaining 5,900 stores early next year. The company says the price increase is permanent, with CEO Michael Witynski saying it will allow it to bring back some "customer favorites" that it had been forced to stop selling. He also said surveys have shown 91 percent of Dollar Tree customers wouldn't shop there less frequently if prices went up to $1.25.

➤FBI FUGITIVE FOUND LIVING A NEW LIFE AS A PASTOR IN ALABAMA: It’s only a matter of time until this is made into a script for a TV show. A man who has been on the run from the FBI was captured in Alabama on November 19th after assuming a new identity as a pastor. Larry Albert Flake, age 74, was convicted of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor in Indiana in August, 2001. After he failed to appear for trial, he was sought after by federal agents. The FBI says he was living under the name Larry White and was a pastor at a church near Birmingham—those in the area knew him as Reverend White. The FBI found him due to an unnamed source, and say without the lead, Flake would not have been found. Flake will face extradition to be returned to Indiana, according to the FBI.

➤STUDY...THESE PERSONALITY TRAITS MAY MAKE YOU MORE PRONE TO PROBLEMATIC BINGE-WATCHING:  Streaming services often release a full season of a TV series all at the same time, and this means some people binge-watch all the episodes very quickly. Scientists say extreme binge-watching is a form of escapism, and a growing body of research suggests such escapism may have negative consequences by leading to unhealthy eating habits, antisocial behavior, and poor work or academic performance, among other problems. Researchers from Poland found certain personality traits up a person’s risk of problematic binge-watching, including lack of impulse control and forethought, as well as motivational factors such as wanting to be entertained or avoid being bored. The scientists note that it would be premature to assume binge-watching is as risky or serious as other addictive behaviors until more research is done.

➤THIS IS WHEN YOU SHOULD TURN YOUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS OFF EACH NIGHT, PLUS OTHER SEASONAL FIRE SAFETY TIPS:  Christmas lights are lovely, but they don’t come without safety risks. The National Fire Protection Association says fire departments in the US responded to an average of 160 home fires every holiday season from 2014 through 2018, and lighting equipment and electrical distribution accounted for 45 percent of those fires. To stay safe, experts say you should be sure to turn your Christmas lights off before bed and before you leave your home, look for lights labeled with UL, as this means they’ve been tested for fire safety, and also consider getting LED lights, which emit less heat than incandescent lights. Also, be diligent when hanging your lights—be sure not to misuse them or overload them. As a general rule, fire safety experts recommend plugging in no more than three light strings at a time. You should also check the bulbs and wiring to make sure they are free of breaks or cracks before installation.

Wall Street Journal 11/24/21




 

🦃THANKSGIVING TURKEY: WHAT THE CDC SAYS NOT TO DO BEFORE COOKING A BIRD: If you’re cooking the turkey you’ll want to make sure you don’t give your guests food poisoning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says you should not wash or rinse a turkey before cooking as poultry juices can contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops if spread in the kitchen. You should also wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling poultry, and use a separate cutting board, as well as washing dishes or utensils the turkey touches. Also, the turkey should never be thawed by leaving it out on the counter as it can become unsafe to consume at certain temperatures due to bacteria growth with the “danger zone" between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead, thaw your turkey in the refrigerator in a container; in a leak proof-plastic bag in a sink of cold water (change the water every half hour); or in the microwave. Also, be sure to make sure all your Thanksgiving dishes reach the recommended internal temperatures.

🏀KNICKS BEAT LAKERS TEAM WITH JAMES SUSPENDED, DAVIS SICK: The New York Knicks beat the L.A. Lakers 106-100 at home last night, beating an L.A team that was without LeBron James, who was serving a one-game suspension after an altercation Sunday with the Detroit Pistons' Isaiah Stewart, and had another key player, Anthony Davis, sick. Davis woke up with a fever and said he only arrived 45 minutes before the game and didn't have his usual warmup. He scored a total of 20 points. Head coach Frank Vogel said, "I definitely think that he was a little bit drained and we used him differently." Evan Fournier led the Knicks with 26 points.


🏈ESPN...JETS' QB WILSON WILL BE BACK SUNDAY: New York Jets rookie quarterback Zack Wilson, who missed the past four games after spraining his knee, will be back Sunday to start against the Houston Texans, ESPN reported yesterday. ESPN also reported issues with other two Jets quarterbacks, with Mike White testing positive for Covid-19 and Joe Flacco deemed a close contact, landing both on the Covid list. Josh Johnson is being brought up from the practice squad to back up Wilson.

🏈CINCINNATI IN TOP FOUR IN CFP RANKING: Undefeated Cincinnati is at Number 4 in the latest College Football Playoffs rankings released last night, the first time a team from a Group of 5 conference has got into the top four in the CFP's eight-year history. Cincinnati is behind Number 1 Georgia, Number 2 Ohio State and Number 3 Alabama. It moved up after Oregon, which was Number 3 last week, lost to Utah on Saturday. The selection committee's final rankings will be released on December 5th.

⚾STARTER MATZ REACHES FOUR-YEAR, $44 MILLION DEAL WITH ST. LOUIS: Starting pitcher Steven Matz has reached a four-year, $44 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, ESPN reported last night. The 30-year-old lefthander was 14-7 with the Toronto Blue Jays this past season with a 3.82 ERA, after six years with the New York Mets.

🏈GIANTS FIRE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR GARRETT: The 3-7 New York Giants fired offensive coordinator Jason Garrett yesterday (November 23rd), one day after a 30-10 Monday Night Football loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Giants head coach Joe Judge said, "I am not looking for a head to roll or worried about external opinions or perceptions. This is not a blame game. I am very appreciative of Jason for a lot of things he has done for us." Judge said the coaching staff would combine to make an offensive game plan for the game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday.


🏈THANKSGIVING DAY NFL SCHEDULE:
  • Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions - 12:30 p.m. ET (Fox)
  • Las Vegas Raiders at Dallas Cowboys - 4:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
  • Buffalo Bills at New Orleans Saints - 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)



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