Update on the latest news, sports, business and entertainment at 12:20 a.m. EDT | State News
BC US VIRUS OUTBREAK US BORDERS
The US will reopen land borders to fully vaccinated people in November
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden government says the United States will reopen its land borders to non-essential travel next month, ending a 19 month freeze due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All international visitors must be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Vehicle, rail, and ferry travel between the United States and Canada and Mexico has been largely limited to essential travel such as trade since the earliest days of the pandemic. The new rules, which will be announced on Wednesday, will allow fully vaccinated foreigners to enter the United States regardless of the reason for travel. That begins in early November, when a similar easing of air traffic restrictions is due to take effect.
AP US VIRUS OUTBREAK BOEING Vaccines
Boeing tells workers they need to get a COVID-19 vaccine
SEATTLE (AP) – Boeing Co. has notified employees that they need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or may need to be fired. The Seattle Times reports that the deadline for workers in the aerospace giant is December 8th. Employees can request exceptions “because of a disability or a genuine religious belief”. The policy applies company-wide to approximately 125,000 US residents, including approximately 57,000 in Washington state. Boeing could face more resistance to the new policy in some Republican-controlled states. On Monday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning private companies or other corporations from requesting vaccines. Boeing has more than 5,000 employees in Texas. It has approximately 32,000 other facilities in Alabama, Arizona, Missouri, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
Large freeway still closed by windswept wildfires
SOLVANG, Calif. (AP) – A major highway in Southern California was blocked by a growing flame propelled by high winds. At least 200 firefighters fought the Alisal Fire. By Tuesday, the fire had scorched 21 square miles along the Santa Barbara County coastline and remained completely unbridled. In Northern California, fire teams stepped up containment of a fire that destroyed 25 RVs, 16 RVs and one park building at Rancho Marina RV Park in Sacramento County. Additional winds later this week could force a utility company to cut electricity again for thousands of customers in the northern and central regions of the state to help prevent forest fires.
BC US SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PLANE CRASH
Pilot in fatal crash in California was repeatedly warned to climb
A record shows that the pilot of a twin-engine airplane was repeatedly warned to fly straight ahead and climb before crashing into suburban San Diego, killing himself and someone on the ground. An air traffic controller repeated Dr. Sugata warned more than a dozen times before the plane broke into a neighborhood in Santee on Monday, burning and damaging several homes. The accident also killed 61-year-old Steve Krueger, a UPS driver who was about to retire. The crash is the subject of federal investigations. However, some experts say that the pilot may have been distracted by something or lost orientation in cloudy weather.
TROPICAL WEATHER PACIFIC
Pamela could be a hurricane again as it hits Mexico on land
MEXICO CITY (AP) – Tropical storm Pamela is picking up speed in the Pacific off Mexico, and forecasters say it should return to hurricane strength before hitting the coast north of the port of Mazatlan on Wednesday morning. Pamela was weakened to a tropical storm on Tuesday afternoon. The US National Hurricane Center says the storm was centered about 275 kilometers west-southwest of Mazatlan late Tuesday and was moving at about 12 miles an hour from the north-northeast. The storm had maximum wind speeds of around 70 mph (110 km / h). The hurricane center warns of possible life-threatening storm surges, flash floods and dangerous winds around the impact area. Weakened remnants of the storm could reach Texas by Thursday.
CONGRESS DEBT
House sends debt limit increase to Biden to avoid late payments
WASHINGTON (AP) – Members of the House of Representatives have approved a short-term increase in the country’s debt ceiling. The vote on Tuesday evening ensures that the federal government can pay its bills in full by December. The law goes to President Joe Biden’s desk next to go into effect. A default would have had a huge impact on global financial markets and routine government payments to social security beneficiaries, disabled veterans, and others would have been called into question. The relief provided will only be temporary, however, forcing Congress to reconsider the issue in December, with Republicans pledging that Democrats will have to raise the ceiling without their help.
VIRGINIA GOVERNOR-OBAMA
Obama wants to campaign with McAuliffe in the race for governor of Virginia
RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) – Former President Barack Obama arrives to Richmond this month to campaign for governor of Virginia with Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the final leg of the competition. McAuliffe is running against GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin, who is seeking a second, non-consecutive term. Youngkin is a former private equity manager and a first-time political candidate. McAuliffe’s campaign said in a press release the two would perform together in Richmond on October 23. Details on the event will be announced shortly. Obama also visited Richmond for a rally with Democrat Ralph Northam during the 2017 gubernatorial race.
AP-US-SOUTHWEST-AIRLINES-CANCELED-FLIGHTS-
Southwest limited canceled flights after 3 turbulent days
DALLAS (AP) – Southwest Airlines appears to be fixing issues that resulted in the cancellation of nearly 2,400 flights in the past three days. As of Tuesday lunchtime, Southwest had canceled fewer than 100 flights, despite more than 400 other delays. This comes from the tracking service FlightAware. Southwest says bad weather and air traffic control issues in Florida on Friday threw planes and pilots out of position, causing cascading problems with flights across the country.
AP US GIULIANI ASSOCIATES SIGN
Openings in the trial against Giuliani partners planned for Wednesday
NEW YORK (AP) – A jury has been selected to trial Lev Parnas, a former Rudy Giuliani employee who, along with a co-defendant, is charged with providing illegal campaign funds. Opening statements were scheduled for Wednesday morning. US prosecutors say Parnas flattered influential Republicans by making inappropriate donations. This included a donation of $ 325,000 in 2018 to a committee in support of then-President Donald Trump. Parnas was first known for his involvement in Giuliani’s efforts to get the Ukrainian government to investigate President Joe Biden’s son. That work is not part of the case and Giuliani has not been charged.
AP-US-EPA-MIDWEST-CHIEF
Biden appoints Debra Shore to head the EPO’s Midwest office
TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan (AP) – President Joe Biden has appointed Chicago Wastewater Commissioner Debra Shore to lead the US Environmental Protection Agency’s office in the Midwest. Shore will oversee Region 5 of the EPA, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin – along with 35 indigenous tribes. The office oversees efforts to clean up the Great Lakes and deals with issues such as industrial and agricultural pollution and polluted drinking water. Shore is an elected member of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. This authority is responsible for wastewater treatment and rainwater management.
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