Wednesday, September 16 top news briefs
It is Wednesday, September 16. Here are today’s top news briefs.
Category 2 Hurricane Sally makes landfall
Hurricane Sally made landfall this morning on the Alabama/Florida coast as a Category 2 storm, bringing 100 mph winds. There is severe flooding in many areas. News images and videos showed flooding in downtown Pensacola. NPR said some people were forced to go to their rooftops to be rescued. About 500,000 people are without power in Alabama and Florida. A fishing pier in Gulf Shores, Alabama was cut in half. A large section of the Three Mile Bridge over Pensacola Bay collapsed and there is a collapsed crane on it. The bridge was already closed because it was struck by a runaway barge last night. weather.com reported that a sheriff, when he saw the barge, did consider firing 40-millimeter grenades at it to stop it, but dropped the plan because it was too dangerous and wouldn’t solve the problem. The barge was allowed to hit the bridge. The hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm and it will cause major flooding because it is slow moving, which means constant rainfall for many areas.
Whistleblower reports “questionable hysterectomies” at ICE facilities
A nurse who worked in an ICE detention center in Ocilla, Georgia and attorneys representing several immigrant women filed a whistleblower complaint that said detainees were sent to a doctor and received “questionable hysterectomies.” The allegation said that detained immigrants did not need the surgeries and did not fully understand nor consent to it. Democratic congressional leaders have demanded an investigation. ICE said in a statement that it “vehemently disputes” the allegations.
Boston University lecturer dies in elevator accident
A 38-year-old lecturer at Boston University, Carrie O’Connor, died in a freak elevator accident in her apartment building. CNN reported that she was loading a box into an elevator when the elevator suddenly dropped. A detective said her death was ruled an accident caused by traumatic asphyxia. She taught French language and culture.
Big Ten decides to begin football season in October
The Big Ten collegiate sports conference announced it would begin its football season the third weekend of October. The conference had previously postponed all sports during the fall season because of concerns with coronavirus. The Big Ten said they will provide daily coronavirus testing and cardiac screenings because of concerns that Covid-19 can cause inflammation of the heart muscle. The Pac-12 conference, based on colleges located in the western U.S., is still “suspending” its season, but it's possible they will begin their season in November.
Covid-19 updates
The U.S. still leads the world in confirmed coronavirus cases with 6.6 million. India has the second most cases with 5 million. Brazil has 4.3 million cases.
The U.S. is approaching 200,000 deaths — we are at 196,465 now. 2.5 million have recovered.
The CDC Director Robert Redfield said today that face masks are the most powerful public health tool that we have against the coronavirus. He even said face masks might provide better protection than a vaccine because when vaccines are available, they may only be 70% effective, so face masks are more guaranteed. Redfield said if all Americans, including young Americans, wore face masks, we could control the virus in a matter of weeks.
The CDC hopes to make vaccines available in limited numbers by the end of this year and said it will be free for all Americans. The CDC said it would take six to nine months to get all Americans vaccinated and that the U.S. would have enough doses for return to a normal life about this time next year — the third quarter of 2021.
That is all the top news briefs for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://www.npr.org/2020/09/16/913472257/category-2-hurricane-sally-makes-landfall-on-alabama-coast
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29893160/big-ten-football-back-need-know