002 - The Surge Is Real
Who decided COVID was canceled?
Welcome back to News. Now. NXT.
Here you’ll find news you need to know, plus what’s happening now and what you should look out for next. As a note, you can click on any of the underlined words and both of the images in this newsletter for a deeper dive into the story.
ALSO: I’m excited to announce that I’ve launched a podcast to accompany this newsletter! Click here to listen to the first episode.
Let’s not waste any more time. A lot has happened since we last linked up.
NEWS.
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton laid out several major allegations against his old boss in his newly released book. This, of course, caused said boss to respond via tweet.
Tik Tok kids & K-Pop fans are claiming responsibility & victory after reserving tickets to Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa last Saturday. The campaign bragged about having a million people interested, and even had plans for an overflow, but, only 6,200 people actually showed up to the arena which seats just under 20K.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease expert, has reemerged after a noticeable absence to let the country know that he’s cautiously optimistic that a COVID-19 treatment and/or vaccine will be available before the end of the year.
In the meantime, several states are seeing surges in Coronavirus cases. In Houston, Texas, home to the largest medical center in the country, a children’s hospital has had to begin admitting adult patients. The blame is being passed all around, but, it also new restrictions are on the horizon.
With everything that’s going on, it’s still an election year, and you know what that means… voting troubles are inevitable. Kentucky only had 200 polling places open for their primary yesterday, 3,500 fewer polling places than normal. Voters were banging on the doors to be let in so that they could vote after the 6 pm close time due to increased traffic and parking issues near the polling place.
Breonna Taylor’s killers have yet to be arrested but one of them has lost his job. The former officer that killed Rayshard Brooks was charged with murder and is in jail, without bond. It could be months before he’s indicted, due to the ongoing pandemic.
Since NASCAR banned confederate flags, some Black fans have been paying closer attention to the sport. This week, Bubba Wallace, the lone full-time Black NASCAR driver was told that a noose was found hanging in his garage at Talladega Speedway. Many of his fellow drivers rallied around him, but the FBI determined that there was no hate crime committed.
We are living in the middle of what seems to be a reckoning. A trap rapper from Atlanta made a protest anthem and it’s the number 3 song in the country this week. Beyonce also lent her voice to the movement and is donating the proceeds from the song’s sales to support Black businesses. She doubled down on her support and created a Black business directory on her website.
NOW & NEXT
New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio has created a firework taskforce after thousands of New Yorkers complained about weeks of unregulated professional-grade firework usage. Keep an eye on this, as the firework complaints have been made in large cities around the country, and residents are starting to believe that it’s a concerted effort.
The MLB, WNBA, and NBA have all made announcements about their plans to return to or resume seasons, but one NBA player has already opted out citing concern for the health & safety of his family, and several WNBA players have opted out to focus on social justice reform. While many fans may be seeking a distraction from everything happening, it’s worth watching to see how or if the plans for the leagues actually come to fruition.
Again, The News Now NXT podcast is available for you now via Anchor and will be available soon on your favorite streaming platforms. Join me for a deeper dive into some of today’s stories. You can listen by clicking here.
Until next time, mask up if you must, but honestly, you should just stay at home.
Keep your eyes open.
- Andrea