Monday, November 4, 2024
It is Monday, November 4, 2024. Hope your weekend was good. Here are today’s top stories.
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Eve of Election Day
We’re on the eve of Election Day. Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have been working hard to visit states and delivering their final pitches to convince people to vote for them.
Over 78 million Americans have already voted early. 43 million of them are in-person early votes and 35 million are mail ballots.
Remember, to win the presidency, a candidate will need to have 270 or more electoral votes, or “points.” Each state has a certain number of electoral votes, or points, which is based on how many senators and representatives it has. California has 54, Texas has 40, Florida has 30, New York has 28, and the remaining states and D.C. have smaller numbers of electoral votes.
For most states, whoever wins the popular vote in that state wins that state’s electoral votes / points.
So, as we watch the polls close tomorrow night and see the voting tallies come up through late tomorrow night and probably overnight, we’ll see either candidate get their electoral votes / points and the first one to reach 270 will get the presidency.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-electoral-college-works/
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Quincy Jones dies at 91
AP News reported that Quincy Jones, a music producer who worked with many well-known musicians such as Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, or Ray Charles, passed away at the age of 91 on Sunday night.
AP said Jones was one of the first Black executives to thrive in Hollywood when he worked on scores for films and television shows.
He won many awards in his lifetime, including 28 Grammys, two honorary Oscars, and an Emmy.
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Shark bites off surfer’s leg
AP News said in Maui, Hawaii on Friday, a shark bit a 61-year-old surfer’s right leg and caused it to be completely severed below the knee.
The surfer said he didn’t see the shark approaching him. He was alert when he was treated and he was hospitalized.
The surfer’s name is Kenji. There is a GoFundMe for his recovery. The page said Kenji is a lifelong surfer and he said he still love the ocean and hopes to go back after his recovery.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/shark-bites-61-year-maui-surfer-completely-severing-115416682
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-kenjis-shark-attack-recovery
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TGI Fridays files for bankruptcy
On Saturday, TGI Fridays Inc, the restaurant chain, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
CNN Business explained that the bankruptcy affects TGI Fridays’ parent company, which operates 39 restaurants, and not the franchisees that control the remaining locations.
The parent company said its financial challenges began after the Covid-19 pandemic. It has secured financing so all restaurants can operate as usual while it figures out what to do during the bankruptcy process.
TGI Fridays started in 1965 in Manhattan and was one of the first major restaurant chains to popularize the “happy hour” concept.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/02/food/tgi-fridays-bankruptcy/index.html
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“Dawson’s Creek” actor announces cancer diagnosis
Actor James Van Der Beek, best known for his role on the 2000s TV show “Dawson’s Creek,” said he has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
He said despite the diagnosis, there is reason for optimism and he’s feeling good. Van Der Beek is 47 years old.
CBS News said the actor continues to work and will appear in an upcoming film called “Sidelined: The QB and Me.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/james-van-der-beek-cancer-diagnosis/
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Tropical storm expected in Caribbean
Accuweather.com reported that a tropical storm is expected to form in the Caribbean in the next few days and that it may become a hurricane that could strike the U.S. The next named storm will be Rafael. We will know much more about the storm and its strength and potential to threat the U.S. after Tuesday night / Wednesday morning.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/hurricane-likely-to-brew-in-caribbean-may-reach-us/1709339
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That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.