Monday, August 1 top news
It is Monday, August 1. Thank you Renca Dunn for covering Top Stories last week. Ready for today’s news?
NBA legend Bill Russell dies at 88
Bill Russell, who is considered one of the greatest NBA players in history, passed away on Sunday. He was 88 and died with his wife at his side.
Russell played for the Boston Celtics for 13 seasons and won the NBA championship 11 times.
Michael Jordan said in a statement, “Bill Russell was a pioneer — as a player, as a champion, as the NBA’s first Black head coach and as an activist.”
Axios said Russell sat just feet away from Martin Luther King Jr. during his “I Have A Dream” speech and that he supported Muhammad Ali when he refused to go to Vietnam.
In recent years Russell was often seen during the NBA Finals when the Bill Russell MVP award was given out. Now he is departed.
Five stabbed while tubing on river
On Saturday afternoon, a 52-year-old man stabbed five people who were tubing down the Apple River in western Wisconsin.
One of the victims, a 17-year-old boy from Minnesota, died. Those who were injured are expected to recover.
The suspect, Nicolae Miu, fled the scene but was later arrested. It is not clear what the motive was for the stabbings. He will be making this first court appearance today.
Biden tests positive for Covid-19 again
On Saturday President Biden announced that he tested positive for the coronavirus. It is the second time in the past two weeks that he became infected. He will be isolated again for five days.
The White House physician said Biden isn’t experiencing symptoms and is feeling quite well.
Kentucky flooding death toll increases
The death toll from the flooding in eastern Kentucky has increased to at least 35.
Kentucky Gov. Beshear said there are still hundreds of people who are unaccounted for. The governor warned that the death toll would increase as search efforts expand.
The victims include four siblings from Knott County who were 8, 6, 4, and 2 years old. Their family said they lived in a mobile home and was forced to go up on the roof and tried holding on to the children, but the force of the water washed them away.
News reports explained that many areas are now isolated due to bridges that have been washed away.
The White House said it would provide $1 billion in grant programs to help states address flooding and extreme heat that are made worse by climate change.
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Deadly wildfire in northern California
There is a large wildfire in Northern California, near the border with Oregon, that has spread to about 52,000 acres to become California’s biggest fire so far this year.
The fire is called the McKinney Fire. Authorities said the fire likely started after a lightning strike.
Two people were found dead in a burned-out car in a driveway of a home on Sunday morning.
Crews are now battling the fires and hoping to prevent them from moving into the town of Yreka, where there are 7,500 residents.
“Star Trek” actress Nichelle Nichols dies at 89
Nichelle Nichols, who had the role of Lt. Uhura in “Star Trek: The Original Series” passed away at 89 years old on Saturday.
Her son announced that she passed away of natural causes.
Nichols was one of the first Black women featured in a major television series. She said Martin Luther King, Jr. once met her and said he was her “greatest fan.”
After “Star Trek,” Nichols worked with NASA to recruit female and minority astronauts and staff.
ExxonMobil, Chevron reports massive profits
CNN Business said ExxonMobil and Chevron “reported record massive profits thanks to record gasoline prices during the (second) quarter.” Exxon had profits that were 273% higher than the same time last year.
Both oil companies earned enormous profits during the second quarter of this year when gas prices soared due to global energy concerns following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://twitter.com/RealBillRussell/status/1553790050839588865
https://www.axios.com/2022/08/01/bill-russell-nba-civil-rights
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/30/biden-covid-positive-test
https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1553479370383171584
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/01/weather/kentucky-appalachia-flooding-monday/
https://www.axios.com/2022/07/31/california-mckinney-fire-explodes-size-heat-drought
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/01/california-wildfire-mckinney-fire-bodies-found
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/29/energy/exxonmobil-chevron-earnings/index.html