upi--2020-09-19--Hurricane Teddy: Advisories issued for Bermuda

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Less than one week after feeling the full force of Hurricane Paulette , residents of Bermuda were preparing for a strike from powerful Hurricane Teddy , which unlike Paulette , may take a path that could eventually bring impacts to Atlantic Canada and perhaps the northeastern United States .
Paulette brought a wind gust of 117 mph to Bermuda and an island-wide power outage when it passed directly overhead Sunday night into early Monday .
More than 20,000 customers were without power following Paulette 's approach .
Teddy first developed in the central Atlantic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a Category 4 major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale .
Laura is the only other Atlantic storm to achieve major hurricane status so far this season .
As of 8 a.m. EDT Saturday , the storm weakened slightly to a Category 3 storm maximum sustained winds of 125 mph and was located 605 miles southeast of Bermuda and was moving northwest at a speed of 14 mph .
The government of Bermuda issued a tropical storm warning for the island nation .
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Rob Miller expects Teddy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Category 2 hurricane .
The impacts , however , will depend on how close the center of the storm passes to the islands .
The closer the center of the storm , the greater the impacts will be .
AccuWeather 's current Eye Path takes Teddy just east of the islands .
On this track , Teddy would bring another round of damaging winds and flooding rainfall to Bermuda .
However , even a glancing blow by Teddy can still have significant impact on the islands due the hurricane 's current large size @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to continue to meander on a generally northern track , which would cause the hurricane to approach Atlantic Canada or northern New England around Tuesday afternoon .
`` If Teddy takes a northerly track , areas from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland would be the most likely to see impacts .
Teddy may still be a hurricane at this time with impacts including potentially damaging wind gusts , heavy rainfall and pounding surf , '' Miller explained .
Another scenario would have Teddy track farther to the east and miss Atlantic Canada on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlantic .
These appear to be the two most likely scenarios .
`` There remains the chance that Teddy is pulled more to the northwest and could impact northern New England before curving across Atlantic Canada and into the North Atlantic , '' Miller said .
This could bring strong winds , heavy rain and coastal flooding to much of the New England coastline .
A hurricane has never hit Maine from any direction other than from the southwest , according to AccuWeather Senior Weather Editor Jesse Ferrell .
`` Only eight hurricanes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three of those since 1950 , '' Ferrell said .
`` Bob in 1991 was the most recent and only the Unnamed 1869 hurricane , Bob and Gerda from 1969 were Category 2 when they hit with the remaining storms being Category 1 strength . ''
According to Colorado State University Meteorologist Phil Klotzbach , the average date for the second major hurricane formation in the Atlantic is Oct. 3 .
Regardless of the final track and impacts from Teddy , even if the hurricane remains out to sea , forecasters warn that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible along the New England and mid-Atlantic coasts this weekend and early next week .
Small craft should avoid venturing too far offshore as monstrous waves could develop from and propagate toward the coast from the large hurricane .

The powerful Hurricane Teddy is forecast to hit Atlantic Canada later this week. Image courtesy of NOAA
Sept. 22 (UPI) -- After passing Bermuda a day prior, powerful Hurricane Teddy was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone as it was heading for Atlantic Canada on Tuesday. The storm is still expected to produce potentially life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the way, forecasters said. Advertisement
As of 11 p.m. AST Tuesday, the storm was about 125 miles south of the Nova Scotian capital of Halifax, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. It was traveling north at 18 mph.
Large swells generated by the system were affecting Bermuda, the Lesser Antilles, the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, the eastern coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada, the advisory said.
"These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions," it said.
Teddy first developed in the central Atlantic on Saturday, Sept. 12. On Friday night, Teddy strengthened into a Category 4 major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Laura is the only other Atlantic storm to achieve major hurricane status so far this season.
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According to Colorado State University Meteorologist Phil Klotzbach, the average date for the second major hurricane formation in the Atlantic is Oct. 3.
"Teddy will interact with an upper-level storm system moving across eastern Canada early in the week, and become an extratropical storm before making landfall in Nova Scotia Wednesday morning. However, this is really just a technicality, as the impacts will still match those of a hurricane," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty explained.
The Canadian Hurricane Centre has issued a tropical storm warning for the southern coast of Nova Scotia and a tropical storm watch for the province's northern coast. The watch also extends westward into Prince Edward Island. Tropical storm watches were also issued for portions of the southwestern coast of Newfoundland.
One of those impressive aspects of Teddy will be its expansive wind field. Wind gusts of 40-60 mph will stretch all the way from the eastern shores of Labrador and Newfoundland to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The strongest wind gusts, near where the center moves across Nova Scotia, are expected to reach 80-90 mph with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 100 mph.
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"Teddy is already a large hurricane. When it undergoes extratropical transition, the wind field will expand even further," Douty explained. "Even the New England coast will be quite gusty for a time, despite the storm being around 300 miles east of Boston at its closest approach."
Power outages and tree damage could be widespread across Atlantic Canada. While powerful winter storms that can reach hurricane strength are not particularly uncommon across this region, a storm of this strength striking this time of year, when all the leaves are still on the trees, can lead to more damage.
Winds of this magnitude are also capable of some structural damage, especially to any weaker buildings. Loose objects like yard furniture, toys, planters and trash cans can easily become projectiles in the wind.
Dorian tracked across Atlantic Canada in early September of 2019 and brought widespread wind damage to Atlantic Canada. Teddy has the potential to bring similar results should it remain on its current forecast track.
Residents should begin to make appropriate preparations as this appears to be the most likely scenario.
On this track, 2-4 inches of rain would be widespread across Nova Scotia, with 1-2 inches stretching from eastern New Brunswick to the southeast coast of Labrador. Locally heavier rainfall could fall where the center of the storm tracks, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 6 inches.
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Heavy rain will also accompany the howling winds across Atlantic Canada. However, heavy rain will be in and out relatively quickly due to the fast-forward motion of the storm.
This can lead to some localized flooding, especially on streets and poor-drainage areas. Most leaves across the region are only just starting to change, but with such strong winds, it's also possible that enough leaves are blown down to clog some storm drains and cause more street flooding in urban areas.
Taking these impacts into consideration, Teddy is forecast to be a 1 on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes in Atlantic Canada.
In comparison to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which has been used by meteorologists for decades and classifies storms by wind speed only, the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale is based on a broad range of important factors. The scale covers not only wind speed but flooding rain, storm surge as well as economic damage and loss. This communicates a more comprehensive representation of the potential impact of a storm to lives and livelihoods.
Meanwhile, Teddy has been kicking up some significant waves as the storm mowed its way across the Atlantic Ocean. Wave heights near Teddy's center of circulation have been in excess of 20 feet and, up and down the shores of the East Coast, wave heights have been in the 5-foot to 7-foot range.
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Even with Teddy several hundred miles off the coast, some coastal flooding and beach erosion was already being seen and will continue for the first part of the week along many portions of the East Coast, especially at times of high tide.
"During the weekend, an area of high pressure over the interior Northeast helped to increase northeasterly winds, which enraged seas along the immediate Atlantic coast, well away from Teddy," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
According to the NCDOT, portions of Route 12 along the Outer Banks in North Carolina are closed until at least Tuesday afternoon due to overwash. Residents of the Outer Banks have been urged not to travel unless absolutely necessary. Flooding along the Outer Banks could get worse over the next couple of days as surf continues to build and more and more of the protective dunes get worn down or washed away.
Because of the exceptionally rough seas churned up by Teddy, coastal impacts will also be quite expansive. Nova Scotia and the southern coast of Newfoundland will bear the brunt of massive surf and dangerous storm surge.
Wave heights are forecast to reach an incredible 50-75 feet Tuesday on the open sea off the coasts of New England and Nova Scotia. This will have a major impact on shipping, as any sea-going vessels that dare to enter this region will face extreme danger.
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While the most fearsome seas will remain offshore, coastal areas will still have to be prepared for storm surge and significant wave action.
"The southern coast of Nova Scotia is no stranger to angry seas, and most of the towns sit in coves protected by rocky cliffs and barrier islands," explained AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Lead Canada Forecaster Brett Anderson.
"However, with 30 foot seas even right to the coast and a large storm surge, any locations that are exposed and not sitting well above normal sea level could quickly become very dangerous to anyone caught there once Teddy arrives."
The entire Eastern Seaboard of the United States will also see rough surf and large swells propagating out from Teddy into midweek. Persistent, gusty onshore flow along much of the East Coast will also add to the angry seas and rising water levels.
"As the area of high pressure weakens, and Teddy moves toward Nova Scotia on Tuesday and Wednesday, wave action along the immediate coast south of the Carolinas will ease, but there can still be occasional large swells that catch bathers and boaters by surprise through the latter part of this week," Sosnowski said.
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Teddy joins Beta currently spinning in the Atlantic, as well as Paulette, which regenerated into a tropical storm south of the Azores on Monday night.
With months still left in the Atlantic hurricane season, more Greek letters are likely to be used. Last week, AccuWeather meteorologists upped their 2020 season predictions for the number of total storms to 28, which would tie the record number of named storms in the basin set in the notorious 2005 season.


upi--2020-09-19--New tropical storm in central Atlantic grabs the name Wilfred

Hot on the heels of the latest tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico , yet another disturbance AccuWeather meteorologists have been monitoring since it cruised across Africa has become Tropical Storm Wilfred .
Satellite photos from Thursday night indicated a substantial uptick in thunderstorm activity on the eastern side of the system with a trademark high cloud shield overtop of the system .
In its 5 a.m. EDT advisory , the National Hurricane Center said Wilfred had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west-northwest at 17 mph .
The eye of the storm was about 885 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The system continued to show signs of organization overnight , and the National Hurricane Center confirmed at 8 a.m. EDT Friday that the system had near-tropical-storm-force winds on its eastern flank within the thunderstorms but did yet not have a well-defined center .
Just hours later , prior to 11 a.m. EDT , the NHC confirmed that a low-level circulation had formed , and the system was named Tropical Storm Wilfred , the last designated name on the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season list .
It became the earliest 21st-named storm ever to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old record held by Vince of Oct. 8 , 2005 .
Disruptive wind shear has dropped off and should remain fairly low with a reasonable amount of moisture available in the atmosphere into this weekend .
As a result , further strengthening is likely .
A general west to northwest drift is forecast through this weekend .
An increase in disruptive wind shear is forecast to begin later this weekend .
As these strong winds aloft begin to tear away at the storm , weakening of the system is likely .
Wilfred is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Leeward Islands next week , but interests on the islands should continue to monitor its progress .
There are multiple features AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring in the Atlantic for possible development in the coming days .
Additional tropical disturbances will continue to move westward off the coast of Africa , and any one of these can slowly develop over the next couple of weeks as they travel across the Atlantic .
One such system developed into a subtropical storm on Friday afternoon near the coast of Portugal .
There is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-tropical storm over the North Atlantic , re-acquires tropical characteristics near the Azores in the coming days .
Then there is Teddy , a major hurricane traveling northwestward over the central Atlantic .
Teddy is on a path that will take it near Bermuda early next week then perhaps to Atlantic Canada or even northern New England later next week .
Factoring in the system over the central Atlantic grabbing the last regular name on the list , the alphabetical names for 2020 has been exhausted .
The Greek alphabet will now be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And , the Atlantic wasted no time on Friday with the naming of Subtropical Storm Alpha near the coast of Portugal .
The Atlantic has been on a record pace with Cristobal and every storm from Edouard through Wilfred all setting early-formation marks for their designated letters .
AccuWeather is projecting 28 named systems ( at least tropical storm strength ) this season , which would tie the historic 2005 Atlantic hurricane season .

Tropical Storm Wilfred is is currently forecast to dissipate well to the east of the Lesser Antilles. Hurricane Teddy is to the west of Wilfred. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Wilfred has weakened back to a tropical depression on Sunday, two days after becoming a tropical storm west of the Cabo Verde Islands. On Friday, the National Hurricane Center confirmed that a low-level circulation had formed, and the system was named Tropical Storm Wilfred, the last designated name on the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season list. It became the earliest 21st-named storm ever to form in the basin, shattering the old record held by Vince of Oct. 8, 2005. Advertisement
As of 5 p.m. AST Sunday, Wilfred was located about 1,445 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands, moving along at a brisk 20 mph pace. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.
A general west to northwest drift is forecast into early week.
This path will put Wilfred in an area of disruptive wind shear. As these strong winds aloft begin to tear away at the storm, weakening of the system is likely.
Wilfred is currently forecast to dissipate well to the east of the Lesser Antilles.
Factoring in the system over the central Atlantic grabbing the last regular name on the list, the alphabetical names for 2020 has been exhausted. The Greek alphabet is now being utilized for additional storms this season.
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Elsewhere in the Atlantic, AccuWeather meteorologists continue to keep an eye on Tropical Storm Beta, which developed over the western Gulf of Mexico on Friday afternoon, and will bring days of flooding rainfall and gusty winds from Texas to Louisiana. Hurricane Teddy, meanwhile, is expected to approach Atlantic Canada this week.
There is also the chance that Paulette, currently a non-tropical storm over the North Atlantic, re-acquires tropical characteristics near the Azores in the coming days.
AccuWeather is projecting 28 named systems (at least tropical storm strength) this season, which would tie the historic 2005 Atlantic hurricane season.


upi--2020-09-19--Tropical Storm Beta forms in the Gulf of Mexico, shattering records

Sept. 17 ( UPI ) -- After churning out Tropical Storm Wilfred and Subtropical Storm Alpha , the hyperactive Atlantic continues to generate more named storms with the formation of Tropical Storm Beta .
Forming Friday afternoon , Beta claimed the second letter in the Greek alphabet .
In its 7 a.m. CDT advisory , the National Hurricane Center said the storm had 60 mph maximum sustained winds and was moving north at 8 mph .
The eye of the storm was located 290 east of the mouth of the Rio Grade and 270 southwest of the mouth of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the season 's designated list is exhausted , Greek letters are used to identify tropical storms .
The Atlantic once again became hyperactive on Friday with four tropical cyclones churning at once .
Just on Monday , there were five tropical cyclones spinning simultaneously for the first time since Sept. 10-12 , 1971 .
That number dropped to four Tuesday after Rene dissipated , leaving Paulette , Sally , Teddy and Vicky for a time .
As of 10 p.m. CDT Friday , Major Hurricane Teddy , Tropical Storm Wilfred and Tropical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prowl .
Subtropical Storm Alpha lost wind intensity and became a remnant low over Portugal very early Saturday morning , local time .
A strong disturbance that was spinning over the central Atlantic claimed the last name on the season 's designated list , Wilfred , when it strengthened into a tropical storm on Friday at 11 a.m. EDT , according to the National Hurricane Center .
It became the earliest-21st named storm on record in the Atlantic basin , beating out Vince , which formed on Oct. 8 , 2005 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado State University .
A few hours later , Subtropical Storm Alpha formed right along the coast of Portugal during Friday afternoon .
That storm will bring heavy rain , gusty winds and pounding surf along the coast of Portugal and northern Spain through Friday night .
Alpha set a new record for the earliest 22nd-named storm to develop in the basin , forming nearly one month earlier than the previous record holder for that title , the notorious Wilma from 2005 .
Wilma did not become a named storm until Oct. 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strengthen into the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic at Category 5 strength , packing winds of 185 mph and a central barometric pressure of 26.05 inches of Mercury ( 882 millibars ) .
Beta wrote a new page in the record books for the 23rd-named tropical storm in the Atlantic , replacing Alpha from 2005 , which formed on Oct. 22 and was the first-ever storm to be named a Greek letter .
A disturbance over the Gulf of Mexico that meteorologists had been monitoring for over a week developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph .
Weak steering breezes could result in the budding tropical system over the Gulf of Mexico to remain nearly stationary or meander over the open water over the next few days .
A general northward drift is likely to be followed by a westward drift later this weekend and into early next week .
The storm could wander toward the Texas coast before turning toward Louisiana .
A slow-moving storm such as this can disrupt oil and gas production in the western Gulf of Mexico for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We are getting to the time of the year where it is difficult , due to prevailing steering winds , for tropical systems to move onshore in Texas , '' according to AccuWeather 's top hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski .
`` However , we are not fully into that part of the season just yet , and we will have to monitor the behavior of those steering winds and how much an area of high pressure builds across the central and eastern U.S. , which could partially block the northward path and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coast , '' Kottlowski cautioned .
The slow movement of the system has raised alarms among AccuWeather forecasters .
In 2017 , Harvey unloaded up to 61 inches of rain as it spent days over eastern Texas .
Even though this system may never get as strong as Harvey did , it will have the resources to produce torrential rainfall .
Most of that rain may fall harmlessly over the Gulf of Mexico , unless the system takes a westward drift toward Texas or northeastern Mexico , or perhaps wanders close to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the system is likely to continue , no matter which direction it wanders .
If the system wanders to right along the coast , then rainfall could be measured in feet in stead of inches .
`` How strong the system gets may hold the key as a stronger tropical storm tends to poke higher up into the atmosphere and might get steered westward toward Texas , while a weaker system may hover in the lowest part of the atmosphere , where it avoids the stronger winds aloft and then hovers over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Some moisture could be sheared off to the northeast of the budding storm , which could produce heavy rainfall in the Southeast states .
`` Any torrential rain could add to the flooding problems from Sally , which are still ramping up as runoff from urban and small streams works into the larger river systems in the Southeast , '' AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Travis said .
`` Texas could take a reasonable amount of rain , while areas farther to the east in the South would have trouble , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm may make several landfalls but never venture far inland , and rather it would spend most of its lifespan over the western Gulf of Mexico and diminish after initially ramping up .
In this scenario , the center could bump or brush multiple points of land along a meandering path .
`` Gusty winds and rain could reach the south coast of Texas as early as Sunday , '' Kottlowski said .
If the system makes landfall as a named storm in the United States , it would be the ninth system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the center wander onshore , it could continue to move very slowly or perhaps stall a second time , potentially leading to flooding rainfall on a broad scale .
As the system develops and begins to move northward initially , exact details on the system 's track will become more clear in the coming days , even if it will just prowl around the Gulf for a time .
Regardless of the meandering nature of the storm , there will be substantial coastal impacts .
Heavy rain and flooding downpours could frequent coastal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coast .
The storm is likely to get large enough and strong enough to create rough seas , pounding surf and dangerous rip currents over the Gulf of Mexico , especially over the central and western Gulf .
There is a more than 50-50 chance this system can reach hurricane strength later in the weekend or early next week , forecasters said .
All interests along the western and central Gulf coast should monitor the evolution and progress of this system .
Beyond Wilfred , Alpha and budding Beta , there are several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tropical development in the Atlantic .
Greek letters are likely to be used as AccuWeather meteorologists upped their 2020 season predictions for the number of total storms to 28 , which would tie the record number of named storms in the basin set in the notorious 2005 season .

Tropical Storm Beta is seen over southeastern Texas early Tuesday. The storm is expected to move slowly to the northeast Tuesday and Wednesday, ultimately weakening to a depression. Image courtesy NOAA/NHC
Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Beta made landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast late Monday, becoming the ninth named storm to hit the United States this year. The National Hurricane Center said in its 4 a.m. CDT update Tuesday, the center of the storm was 35 miles northwest of Port O'Connor, Texas, and 45 miles northwest of Matagorda, Texas. It had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving northwest at 3 mph. Advertisement
"On the forecast track, the center of Beta will move inland over southeastern Texas through Wednesday and then over Louisiana and Mississippi Wednesday night through Friday," the NHC said.
The center said the storm is expected to stall over land on Tuesday as it moves to the northeast toward the Louisiana coast. It's forecast to weaken to a depression late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Communities that were devastated by Hurricane Laura, and to some extent more recently by Hurricane Sally, could face strong winds and downpours that could hinder ongoing recovery efforts.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 29 counties in Texas on Monday as Beta churned toward the coast.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency on Monday, opening up state resources to aid in local government response. He warned that the storm's slow movement puts the southwestern part of the state at risk for flooding through at least the middle of the week.
Widespread rainfall totals of 4-8 inches are expected across southeastern Texas and into southern Louisiana.
Heavy rainfall and the risk for flash flooding are likely even if the storm wobbles back over the water and lingers just offshore of the Texas coast as currently forecast.
"This rainfall can lead to significant, life-threatening flooding, which may last for several days," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said.
Even though Beta is not nearly as strong as Hurricane Harvey, which exploded into a Category 4 storm in 2017, it is expected to crawl across the region, and forecasters warn that it will have enough fuel to produce torrential rainfall along its path. In 2017, Harvey unloaded up to 61 inches of rain as it spent days spinning over eastern Texas.
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In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison unleashed disastrous flooding across southeastern Texas, due to its slow movement.
Should the storm stall near the Texas coast, rainfall amounts could be higher and may even exceed 24 inches. Conversely, should Beta move along at a quicker pace or more drier air get pulled into the storm, total rainfall amounts could be cut in half for some locations, though flooding would still remain a threat.
Waterspouts and isolated tornadoes can occur in Beta's outer bands to the northeast of the center of the storm.
Depending on the exact track of Beta, drenching downpours could reach the Southeast later in the week, including areas recently impacted by Hurricane Sally.
Weak steering winds have resulted in Beta meandering over the Gulf of Mexico since last week.
The tropical storm claimed the second letter in the Greek alphabet on Friday, following Wilfred and Alpha. Once the last name on the Atlantic hurricane season's designated list is exhausted, Greek letters are used to identify tropical storms.
Prior to Beta, eight storms had made landfall in the U.S. during the hyperactive 2020 hurricane season. In comparison, 3 to 4 storms typically strike the country during an entire hurricane season.


upi--2020-09-19--Famous birthdays for Sept. 19: Joan Lunden, Jeremy Irons

Sept. 19 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Virgo .

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Joan Lunden attends Apple TV+'s "The Morning Show" premiere at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center on October 28, 2019, in New York City. The TV personality and journalist turns 70 on September 19. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Virgo. They include: Advertisement
-- Businessman George Cadbury in 1839
-- Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski in 1905
-- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell in 1907
-- Austrian automobile designer Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche in 1909
-- British author William Golding in 1911
-- Actor/writer/host James Lipton in 1926
-- Actor Adam West in 1928
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
-- Actor David McCallum in 1933 (age 87)
-- Singer Bill Medley in 1940 (age 80)
-- Singer Mama Cass Elliot in 1941
-- Singer Freda Payne in 1942 (age 78)
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe Morgan in 1943 (age 77)
-- Singer/songwriter David Bromberg in 1945 (age 75)
-- Actor Randolph Mantooth in 1945 (age 75)
-- Actor Jeremy Irons in 1948 (age 72)
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
-- Model/actor Twiggy, born Lesley Hornby, in 1949 (age 71)
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-- Television personality Joan Lunden in 1950 (age 70)
-- Actor/director Kevin Hooks in 1958 (age 62)
-- Celebrity chef Mario Batali in 1960 (age 60)
-- Actor Cheri Oteri in 1962 (age 58)
-- Country singer Trisha Yearwood in 1964 (age 56)
File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI
-- Astronaut Sunita Williams in 1965 (age 55)
-- Journalist Soledad O'Brien in 1966 (age 54)
-- Actor Sanaa Lathan in 1971 (age 49)
-- Comedian/TV host Jimmy Fallon in 1974 (age 46)
-- Actor Alison Sweeney in 1976 (age 44)
-- Singer Sara Quin in 1980 (age 40)
-- Singer Tegan Quin in 1980 (age 40)
-- Actor Kevin Zegers in 1984 (age 36)
-- Singer Pia Mia Perez in 1996 (age 24)


upi--2020-09-19--People with addiction disorders at greater risk for COVID-19, study says

People with addiction disorders are at greater risk for COVID-19 and more likely to become seriously ill if infected , a new study finds .
The researchers analyzed non-identifiable electronic health records of more than 73 million patients in the United States .
People with addiction disorders accounted for just over 10 % of those in the study , and nearly 16 % of COVID-19 cases .
People with a recent addiction disorder diagnosis were more likely than others to develop COVID-19 , and the connection was strongest among those with opioid and tobacco use disorders , the findings showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an addiction disorder were more likely to be hospitalized with or die from COVID-19 .
Study co-author Dr. Nora Volkow , director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse , said people with addiction disorders often have compromised lungs and cardiovascular systems , which may contribute to their heightened susceptibility for COVID-19 .
`` Another contributing factor is the marginalization of people with addiction , which makes it harder for them to access health care services , '' she said in a news release from the U.S. National Institutes of Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recent opioid use disorder diagnosis had more than four times the risk of COVID-19 than white people , the study found .
High blood pressure , diabetes , heart disease and kidney disease -- all risk factors for COVID-19 -- were more common among Black patients than whites with opioid use disorder .
The NIH-funded study was published this week in the journal Molecular Psychiatry .
The authors suggested that health care providers closely monitor patients with addiction disorders and take steps to protect them from coronavirus infection and severe outcomes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet the unique challenges of caring for this vulnerable population , just as they would any other high-risk group , '' Volkow said in the news release .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on substance use disorders and COVID-19 .

People with addiction disorders are at greater risk for COVID-19 and more likely to become seriously ill if infected, a new study finds.
The researchers analyzed non-identifiable electronic health records of more than 73 million patients in the United States. People with addiction disorders accounted for just over 10% of those in the study, and nearly 16% of COVID-19 cases.
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People with a recent addiction disorder diagnosis were more likely than others to develop COVID-19, and the connection was strongest among those with opioid and tobacco use disorders, the findings showed.
The study also found that people with an addiction disorder were more likely to be hospitalized with or die from COVID-19.
Study co-author Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, said people with addiction disorders often have compromised lungs and cardiovascular systems, which may contribute to their heightened susceptibility for COVID-19.
"Another contributing factor is the marginalization of people with addiction, which makes it harder for them to access health care services," she said in a news release from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Black people with a recent opioid use disorder diagnosis had more than four times the risk of COVID-19 than white people, the study found. High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease -- all risk factors for COVID-19 -- were more common among Black patients than whites with opioid use disorder.
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The NIH-funded study was published this week in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. The authors suggested that health care providers closely monitor patients with addiction disorders and take steps to protect them from coronavirus infection and severe outcomes.
"It is incumbent upon clinicians to meet the unique challenges of caring for this vulnerable population, just as they would any other high-risk group," Volkow said in the news release.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on substance use disorders and COVID-19.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-09-19--On This Day, Sept. 19: Washington Post publishes Unabomber manifesto

Sept. 19 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1777 , American soldiers won the first Battle of Saratoga in the Revolutionary War .
In 1881 , U.S. President James Garfield , 49 , who had been shot in July by a disgruntled office-seeker , died of his wounds .
Vice President Chester Arthur was sworn in as the successor to Garfield , who had been president for 6 1/2 months .
His assassin was executed in 1882 .
In 1893 , with the signing of the Electoral Bill by Gov .
David Boyle , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national voting rights to women .
In 1955 , after a decade of rule , Argentine President Juan Domingo Peron was deposed in a military coup .
In 1957 , the United States conducted its first fully contained underground nuclear weapon test in Nevada .
Scientists at the time theorized the heat and pressure from the blast could 've turned rocks into rubies , sapphires or even diamonds under the rubble .
In 1985 , an earthquake collapsed hundreds of buildings , killed at least 7,000 people and injured thousands of others in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swimmer Greg Louganis took the gold medal in 3-meter springboard diving at the Seoul Olympics after hitting his head on the board during preliminary competition .
In 1995 , The Washington Post published a manifesto by Theodore Kaczynski , the so-called Unabomber , who carried out 16 bombings across the United States from 1978-95 , killing three people .
Kaczynski was arrested in 1996 and was sentenced to eight life sentences in prison .
In 2006 , Thailand Premier Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown in a bloodless military coup .
In 2010 , 42-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , swam across the English Channel in 13 1/2 hours .
Croizon covered the 21 miles with flippers attached to the stumps of his legs and special steering attachments in the arm areas .
In 2017 , a 7.1-magnitude earthquake shook central Mexico , killing more than 350 people , including dozens of children in the rubble of a school .
In 2019 , the Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide attack that killed at least 20 people and injured dozens more in Afghanistan 's Zabul province .

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The Unabomber's manifesto is on display at the Newseum's exhibit, "G-Men and Journalists: Top News Stories of the FBI's First Century" in Washington, D.C., on June 17, 2008. On September 19, 1995, The Washington Post published a manifesto by Theodore Kaczynski, the so-called Unabomber, who carried out 16 bombings across the United States from 1978-95, killing three people. File Photo by Jack Hohman/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 19 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1777, American soldiers won the first Battle of Saratoga in the Revolutionary War. Advertisement
In 1881, U.S. President James Garfield, 49, who had been shot in July by a disgruntled office-seeker, died of his wounds. Vice President Chester Arthur was sworn in as the successor to Garfield, who had been president for 6 1/2 months. His assassin was executed in 1882.
In 1893, with the signing of the Electoral Bill by Gov. David Boyle, New Zealand became the first country to grant national voting rights to women.
In 1955, after a decade of rule, Argentine President Juan Domingo Peron was deposed in a military coup.
File Photo courtesy Wikipedia
In 1957, the United States conducted its first fully contained underground nuclear weapon test in Nevada. Scientists at the time theorized the heat and pressure from the blast could've turned rocks into rubies, sapphires or even diamonds under the rubble.
In 1985, an earthquake collapsed hundreds of buildings, killed at least 7,000 people and injured thousands of others in Mexico City.
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In 1988, U.S. swimmer Greg Louganis took the gold medal in 3-meter springboard diving at the Seoul Olympics after hitting his head on the board during preliminary competition.
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
In 1995, The Washington Post published a manifesto by Theodore Kaczynski, the so-called Unabomber, who carried out 16 bombings across the United States from 1978-95, killing three people. Kaczynski was arrested in 1996 and was sentenced to eight life sentences in prison.
In 2006, Thailand Premier Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown in a bloodless military coup.
In 2010, 42-year-old Frenchman Philippe Croizon, a quadruple amputee, swam across the English Channel in 13 1/2 hours. Croizon covered the 21 miles with flippers attached to the stumps of his legs and special steering attachments in the arm areas.
In 2017, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake shook central Mexico, killing more than 350 people, including dozens of children in the rubble of a school.
In 2019, the Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide attack that killed at least 20 people and injured dozens more in Afghanistan's Zabul province.


upi--2020-09-19--Pain during sex, urination common, underreported part of menopause

Hot flashes and night sweats are well-known side effects of menopause , but the end of a woman 's periods can also lead to other uncomfortable changes .
Vaginal dryness , painful sex and painful urination are common symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause , or GSM .
Estimates vary , but most research suggests that a majority of postmenopausal women are affected .
It can significantly impair health , sexual function and quality of life .
But women experiencing these symptoms may not know why they 're happening or that treatments are available .
In recent years , new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North American Menopause Society has now published new treatment recommendations after reviewing those therapies .
Deciding which to use starts by `` knowing what you 're treating , '' said Dr. Anne Ford , an obstetrician-gynecologist at Duke University Medical Center in Durham , N.C .
When counseling her patients , Ford recommends `` starting simple , and then getting more complex , '' which dovetails with the NAMS guidelines .
NAMS recommends over-the-counter products like moisturizers and lubricants first .
If these options do n't help , prescription therapies can deliver estrogen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the form of creams , rings , tablets and inserts .
Oral estrogen therapy can be considered if vaginal symptoms are accompanied by debilitating side effects , such as hot flashes and insomnia .
Still , the potential health risks associated with hormone therapy make it a backup option , NAMS says .
GSM used to be called vulvovaginal atrophy , to describe when tissues outside and inside the vagina become thinner , drier and less flexible due less estrogen .
The new moniker GSM `` acknowledges that the symptoms were more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included urinary symptoms , '' said Dr. Stephanie Faubion , medical director for NAMS .
Adding the word menopause served to help women who did n't recognize that these symptoms were related , she added .
While pain during sex is a common complaint , Faubion said the idea that the condition only affects sex is a misconception .
`` We 're talking about this not just in the context of sex , but in the context of women being comfortable , '' Faubion said .
For example , wiping with toilet paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ford explained that when NAMS recommends starting with `` simple '' treatments , it is referring to over-the-counter moisturizers and lubricants .
If the discomfort is mostly external , moisturizers can be applied to the vulva .
`` Moisturizers are n't really made for sex .
They 're made for if people have discomfort in their day-to-day life due to the dryness , '' she noted .
For women who are experiencing pain during sex , over-the-counter lubricants can provide relief , Ford added .
Prescription treatments can be costly and may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why women are urged to try over-the-counter remedies first .
But sometimes these products do n't do enough .
The symptoms of dryness and pain are side effects of the vaginal tissues thinning and losing elasticity , and only hormonal therapies can treat the problem itself .
`` If we get to the point where I think a prescription-based product is indicated , then I talk to the patient about their preferences and go over all the different kinds of products that are available , '' Ford said .
`` There are creams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there 's now a tablet -- the ospemifene tablet . ''
Estrogen delivered vaginally provides sufficient hormone to relieve symptoms and is preferred over more aggressive estrogen treatment when the symptoms are centralized in the vaginal area , according to the NAMS recommendations .
Vaginal estrogen products are typically low-dose .
Some , such as the DHEA vaginal insert , are not specifically estrogen-based , but work by increasing certain hormone levels .
`` If the patient really has pain on the inside of the vagina , then anything that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- whether it 's the ring , the cream or the inserts -- all of that stuff will probably help the internal discomfort , '' Ford said .
The oral drug , ospemifene -- Osphena , Senshio -- is approved to treat vaginal dryness and painful sex .
Due to potential health risks , including endometrial cancer , all other systemic estrogen therapies are only recommended if additional menopause-related symptoms are present .
`` If I had somebody who came in and said that they were n't sleeping because they were having 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irritable , their depression was getting worse , and it was so horrible that they just could n't live like this -- and they had vaginal pain -- that 's somebody who would try systemic hormone therapy , '' Ford said .
Energy-based devices , including lasers , may one day be added to the treatment arsenal .
Lasers are thought to work by inducing collagen production , thereby thickening the skin .
But , Faubion said , `` While initial results are really promising , we still await the longer-term studies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective for women over the long haul . ''
The new NAMS position statement was published online in the September issue of Menopause : The Journal of The North American Menopause Society .
There 's more on menopause at the U.S. National Institute on Aging .

Hot flashes and night sweats are well-known side effects of menopause, but the end of a woman's periods can also lead to other uncomfortable changes.
Vaginal dryness, painful sex and painful urination are common symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM. Estimates vary, but most research suggests that a majority of postmenopausal women are affected. It can significantly impair health, sexual function and quality of life.
Advertisement
But women experiencing these symptoms may not know why they're happening or that treatments are available. In recent years, new therapies have been approved, and the North American Menopause Society has now published new treatment recommendations after reviewing those therapies.
Deciding which to use starts by "knowing what you're treating," said Dr. Anne Ford, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
When counseling her patients, Ford recommends "starting simple, and then getting more complex," which dovetails with the NAMS guidelines.
Advertisement
NAMS recommends over-the-counter products like moisturizers and lubricants first. If these options don't help, prescription therapies can deliver estrogen or other hormones directly to the vagina in the form of creams, rings, tablets and inserts.
Oral estrogen therapy can be considered if vaginal symptoms are accompanied by debilitating side effects, such as hot flashes and insomnia. Still, the potential health risks associated with hormone therapy make it a backup option, NAMS says.
GSM used to be called vulvovaginal atrophy, to describe when tissues outside and inside the vagina become thinner, drier and less flexible due less estrogen. The new moniker GSM "acknowledges that the symptoms were more than just vaginal and that they really included urinary symptoms," said Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for NAMS.
Adding the word menopause served to help women who didn't recognize that these symptoms were related, she added.
While pain during sex is a common complaint, Faubion said the idea that the condition only affects sex is a misconception.
"We're talking about this not just in the context of sex, but in the context of women being comfortable," Faubion said. For example, wiping with toilet paper or wearing jeans can bring pain.
Ford explained that when NAMS recommends starting with "simple" treatments, it is referring to over-the-counter moisturizers and lubricants. If the discomfort is mostly external, moisturizers can be applied to the vulva. "Moisturizers aren't really made for sex. They're made for if people have discomfort in their day-to-day life due to the dryness," she noted.
Advertisement
For women who are experiencing pain during sex, over-the-counter lubricants can provide relief, Ford added.
Prescription treatments can be costly and may not be covered by insurance, which is why women are urged to try over-the-counter remedies first.
But sometimes these products don't do enough. The symptoms of dryness and pain are side effects of the vaginal tissues thinning and losing elasticity, and only hormonal therapies can treat the problem itself.
"If we get to the point where I think a prescription-based product is indicated, then I talk to the patient about their preferences and go over all the different kinds of products that are available," Ford said. "There are creams, rings, vaginal inserts and suppositories, and there's now a tablet -- the ospemifene tablet."
Estrogen delivered vaginally provides sufficient hormone to relieve symptoms and is preferred over more aggressive estrogen treatment when the symptoms are centralized in the vaginal area, according to the NAMS recommendations.
Vaginal estrogen products are typically low-dose. Some, such as the DHEA vaginal insert, are not specifically estrogen-based, but work by increasing certain hormone levels.
"If the patient really has pain on the inside of the vagina, then anything that you put in the vagina will help that -- whether it's the ring, the cream or the inserts -- all of that stuff will probably help the internal discomfort," Ford said.
Advertisement
The oral drug, ospemifene -- Osphena, Senshio -- is approved to treat vaginal dryness and painful sex. Due to potential health risks, including endometrial cancer, all other systemic estrogen therapies are only recommended if additional menopause-related symptoms are present.
"If I had somebody who came in and said that they weren't sleeping because they were having 20 hot flashes at night, they were irritable, their depression was getting worse, and it was so horrible that they just couldn't live like this -- and they had vaginal pain -- that's somebody who would try systemic hormone therapy," Ford said.
Energy-based devices, including lasers, may one day be added to the treatment arsenal. Lasers are thought to work by inducing collagen production, thereby thickening the skin.
But, Faubion said, "While initial results are really promising, we still await the longer-term studies to make sure that these are safe and effective for women over the long haul."
The new NAMS position statement was published online in the September issue of Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society.
More information
There's more on menopause at the U.S. National Institute on Aging.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-09-18--Los Angeles Rams WR Robert Woods signs 4-year, $65M extension

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- The Los Angeles Rams and wide receiver Robert Woods reached an agreement on a multiyear extension that will keep him under contract with the franchise through the 2025 season , the team announced Friday .
League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Woods agreed to a four-year , $ 65 million extension that includes $ 32 million guaranteed .
The contract has a maximum value of $ 68 million .
On Thursday , Rams head coach Sean McVay said an extension for Woods would be done `` very shortly , '' while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be finalized before the team 's Week 2 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field .
`` [ McVay ] just kind of put his arm around me and said he 's happy to have me here , that I 've been a true competitor since I 've stepped on this team , '' Woods told reporters after Thursday 's practice .
`` He said he 's been watching me since USC , [ the ] Buffalo [ Bills ] , that 's the reason why I 'm a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He just reassured me this deal would be getting taken care of this week .
Really have no other concerns .
We take each other 's word , we believe in it , we go forward .
We 're locked in , going to get this thing done and look forward to Philadelphia . ''
Woods previously was set to earn $ 5 million this season .
His contract was scheduled to expire at the end of the 2021 campaign .
Over the last three seasons , Woods ranks among the top 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yards after catch .
He recorded consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and 2019 and led all NFL wideouts with 577 yards after the catch last season .
In the Rams ' Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys last week , Woods caught six passes for 105 yards .
The Buffalo Bills selected Woods in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of USC .
In 101 career games between the Bills and Rams , he has tallied 441 catches for 5,690 yards and 25 touchdowns .

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Robert Woods (R) caught six passes for 105 yards in the team's Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. File Photo by Lori Shepler/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Rams and wide receiver Robert Woods reached an agreement on a multiyear extension that will keep him under contract with the franchise through the 2025 season, the team announced Friday. League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Woods agreed to a four-year, $65 million extension that includes $32 million guaranteed. The contract has a maximum value of $68 million. Advertisement
On Thursday, Rams head coach Sean McVay said an extension for Woods would be done "very shortly," while the standout receiver expressed hope that it would be finalized before the team's Week 2 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
"[McVay] just kind of put his arm around me and said he's happy to have me here, that I've been a true competitor since I've stepped on this team," Woods told reporters after Thursday's practice. "He said he's been watching me since USC, [the] Buffalo [Bills], that's the reason why I'm a part of this team now.
"He just reassured me this deal would be getting taken care of this week. Really have no other concerns. We take each other's word, we believe in it, we go forward. We're locked in, going to get this thing done and look forward to Philadelphia."
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Woods previously was set to earn $5 million this season. His contract was scheduled to expire at the end of the 2021 campaign.
And that's why he's Mr. Reliable. Bobby Trees is here to stay! We've agreed to terms with @robertwoods on a four-year extension! pic.twitter.com/dWPiIj2Wej— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 18, 2020
Over the last three seasons, Woods ranks among the top 11 receivers in receptions, receiving yards and yards after catch. He recorded consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and 2019 and led all NFL wideouts with 577 yards after the catch last season.
In the Rams' Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys last week, Woods caught six passes for 105 yards.
The Buffalo Bills selected Woods in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of USC. In 101 career games between the Bills and Rams, he has tallied 441 catches for 5,690 yards and 25 touchdowns.
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-09-19--Tropical Storm Wilfred maintains strength in Atlantic

A disturbance AccuWeather meteorologists have been monitoring since it cruised across Africa has become Tropical Storm Wilfred .
In its 5 p.m. EDT advisory , the National Hurricane Center said Wilfred had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west-northwest at 14 mph .
The eye of the storm was about 1,025 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and 1,480 miles east of the Lesser Antilles .
The system continued to show signs of organization overnight , and the National Hurricane Center confirmed at 8 a.m. EDT Friday that the system had near-tropical-storm-force winds on its eastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have a well-defined center .
Just hours later , prior to 11 a.m. EDT , the NHC confirmed that a low-level circulation had formed , and the system was named Tropical Storm Wilfred , the last designated name on the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season list .
It became the earliest 21st-named storm ever to form in the basin , shattering the old record held by Vince of Oct. 8 , 2005 .
Disruptive wind shear has dropped off and should remain fairly low with a reasonable amount of moisture available in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result , further strengthening is likely .
A general west to northwest drift is forecast through this weekend .
An increase in disruptive wind shear is forecast to begin later this weekend .
As these strong winds aloft begin to tear away at the storm , weakening of the system is likely .
Wilfred is currently forecast to turn to the northeast of the Leeward Islands next week , but interests on the islands should continue to monitor its progress .
There are multiple features AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring in the Atlantic for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Additional tropical disturbances will continue to move westward off the coast of Africa , and any one of these can slowly develop over the next couple of weeks as they travel across the Atlantic .
One such system developed into a subtropical storm on Friday afternoon near the coast of Portugal .
There is also the chance that Paulette , currently a non-tropical storm over the North Atlantic , re-acquires tropical characteristics near the Azores in the coming days .
Then there is Teddy , a major hurricane traveling northwestward over the central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will take it near Bermuda early next week then perhaps to Atlantic Canada or even northern New England later next week .
Factoring in the system over the central Atlantic grabbing the last regular name on the list , the alphabetical names for 2020 has been exhausted .
The Greek alphabet will now be used for additional storms this season .
And , the Atlantic wasted no time on Friday with the naming of Subtropical Storm Alpha near the coast of Portugal .
The Atlantic has been on a record pace with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilfred all setting early-formation marks for their designated letters .
AccuWeather is projecting 28 named systems ( at least tropical storm strength ) this season , which would tie the historic 2005 Atlantic hurricane season .


upi--2020-09-19--Tropical Storm Beta turns toward Texas

Tropical Storm Beta turns toward Texas

Sept. 17 ( UPI ) -- After churning out Tropical Storm Wilfred and Subtropical Storm Alpha , the hyperactive Atlantic continues to generate more named storms with the formation of Tropical Storm Beta .
Forming Friday afternoon , forecasters warn there is potential for Beta to intensify into a hurricane as it moves very slowly over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico .
This new storm has claimed the second letter in the Greek alphabet .
Once the last name on the season 's designated list is exhausted , Greek letters are used to identify tropical storms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a storm surge watch went into effect from Port Mansfield , Texas , to Cameron , Louisiana.A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Port Aransas , Texas , to High Island , Texas .
Tropical storm warnings and watches also stretched across portions of the Gulf Coast from Texas into Louisiana .
The Atlantic once again became hyperactive on Friday with four tropical cyclones churning at once .
Just on Monday , there were five tropical cyclones spinning simultaneously for the first time since Sept. 10-12 , 1971 .
That number dropped to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving Paulette , Sally , Teddy and Vicky for a time .
As of 7 p.m. CDT Saturday , Major Hurricane Teddy , Tropical Storm Wilfred and Tropical Storm Beta were all still on the prowl .
Subtropical Storm Alpha lost wind intensity and became a remnant low over Portugal very early Saturday morning , local time .
A strong disturbance that was spinning over the central Atlantic claimed the last name on the season 's designated list , Wilfred , when it strengthened into a tropical storm on Friday at 11 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center ( NHC ) .
It became the earliest-21st named storm on record in the Atlantic basin , beating out Vince , which formed on Oct. 8 , 2005 , according to Philip Klotzbach , a meteorologist at Colorado State University .
Weak steering breezes will result in the budding tropical system over the Gulf of Mexico to remain nearly stationary or meander over the open water over the next few days .
A general westward drift toward Texas is expected this weekend and into early next week .
The storm is expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turning back northeastward toward Louisiana .
A few hours later , Subtropical Storm Alpha formed right along the coast of Portugal during Friday afternoon .
Alpha set a new record for the earliest 22nd-named storm to develop in the basin , forming nearly one month earlier than the previous record holder for that title , the notorious Wilma from 2005 .
Wilma did not become a named storm until Oct. 17 that year , but went on to strengthen into the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic at Category 5 strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a central barometric pressure of 26.05 inches of Mercury ( 882 millibars ) .
Beta wrote a new page in the record books for the 23rd-named tropical storm in the Atlantic , replacing Alpha from 2005 , which formed on Oct. 22 and was first-ever storm to be named a Greek letter .
Meteorologists had been monitoring the disturbance for over a week before it developed into Tropical Depression 22 on Thursday , with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph .
By Friday at 4 p.m. CDT , the system strengthened into Tropical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 60 mph and moving northwest at 3 mph .
As of 2 p.m. CDT , the storm was located 305 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi , Texas .
Weak steering breezes will result in the budding tropical system over the Gulf of Mexico to remain nearly stationary or meander over the open water over the next few days .
A general westward drift toward Texas is expected this weekend and into early next week .
The storm is expected to wander toward the Texas coast before turning back northeastward toward Louisiana .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that hurricane season is still in full swing , '' Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a media release on Friday .
`` We will be monitoring this storm 's development closely over the next few days as it continues to strengthen in the Gulf .
Now is the time to prepare .
Stock your emergency kit , refill prescriptions and monitor Houston OEM 's channels for official updates . ''
A slow-moving storm such as this can disrupt oil and gas production in the western Gulf of Mexico for several days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting to the time of the year where it is difficult , due to prevailing steering winds , for tropical systems to move onshore in Texas , '' according to AccuWeather 's top hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski .
`` However , we are not fully into that part of the season just yet , and we will have to monitor the behavior of those steering winds and how much an area of high pressure builds across the central and eastern U.S. , which could partially block the northward path and perhaps steer the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kottlowski cautioned .
`` How strong the system gets may hold the key as a stronger tropical storm tends to poke higher up into the atmosphere and might get steered westward toward Texas , while a weaker system may hover in the lowest part of the atmosphere , where it avoids the stronger winds aloft and then hovers over the Gulf for days , '' Kottlowski said .
If Beta does makes landfall as a named storm in the United States , it would be the ninth system to do so this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has raised alarms among AccuWeather forecasters .
In 2017 , Harvey unloaded up to 61 inches of rain as it spent days over eastern Texas .
Even though this system may never get as strong as Harvey did , it will have the resources to produce torrential rainfall .
`` The slow movement of Beta means that it is going to fling large amounts of rain toward the coast for several days , '' explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio .
`` If this rain ends up being particularly persistent over a single area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even if the center of Beta is still well offshore . ''
The slow movement of the system is likely to continue , no matter which direction it wanders .
If the system wanders to right along the coast , then rainfall could be measured in feet instead of inches .
Some moisture will be sheared off to the northeast of the budding storm , which will produce heavy rainfall in the Southeast states .
Saturday morning heavy rain from Beta was already dousing parts of southeastern Louisiana , several hundred miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Any torrential rain could add to the flooding problems from Sally , which are still ramping up as runoff from urban and small streams works into the larger river systems in the Southeast , '' AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Travis said .
Parts of southwestern Louisiana that were devastated by Hurricane Laura will also see some disruptive wind and rounds of rain that could hinder ongoing recovery efforts .
`` Texas could take a reasonable amount of rain , while areas farther to the east in the South would have trouble , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along the western Gulf Coast , gusty winds will also persist for days near the western and central Gulf coast .
A large area of 40-60 mph wind gusts is expected , with higher gusts of 60-80 mph and an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 90 mph expected where Beta initially approaches the coast in Texas .
`` Gusty winds and rain could reach the south coast of Texas as early as Sunday , '' Kottlowski said .
`` Some of the outer bands spinning onshore over the next several days could also contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
`` Water spouts and tornadoes will also be a concern for areas near the coast north and east of the center of Beta . ''
The storm will also get large enough and strong enough to create some storm surge along the western and central Gulf coast , as well as rough seas , pounding surf and dangerous rip currents over the Gulf of Mexico .
Beyond Wilfred , Teddy and Beta , there are several other areas that forecasters are monitoring for tropical development in the Atlantic .
More Greek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AccuWeather meteorologists upped their 2020 season predictions for the number of total storms to 28 , which would tie the record number of named storms in the basin set in the notorious 2005 season .


upi--2020-09-19--Former Canadian prime minister dead at 91

Sept. 19 ( UPI ) -- Former Canadian prime minister John Turner has died at the age of 91 .
Marc Kealeay , a former aide and family friend , told CP24 of Toronto that Turner died peacefully in his sleep at home .
`` He 's in a much better place , and I can say on behalf of the family there was no struggle and it was very , very peaceful , '' Kealey said .
Turner was dubbed `` Canada 's Kennedy '' when he arrived in Ottawa in the 1960s , serving as justice and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resigning after disagreements with then-Liberal Party leader Pierre Trudeau .
A lawyer by training , Turner returned to practicing law briefly and then won party leadership in 1984 .
He only served as prime minister for 79 days before Conservatives , under leadership of Brian Mulroney , won 211 seats in parliament , putting Mulroney in power .
Turner continued to serve as Liberal leader until 1990 , when he resigned .
Turner was born in England , and emigrated to Canada as a child after the death of his father .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , B.C.
, where she grew up , then to Ottawa .
A Rhodes scholar and Olympic-caliber track star , Turner graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1949 , later studying at Oxford and the Sorbonne before moving to Montreal to practice law and later turning to politics .
`` John Turner was one of a kind , '' prime minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter .
`` An honourable gentleman and an upstanding Canadian , John cared deeply about democracy , equality , and those he served .
His optimistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service inspired many - and our country is a better place for it . ''
Former prime minister Paul Martin said Turner was `` an enourmous source of support and advice for me during my years in office . ''

Former Liberal Prime Minister of Canada John Turner (Centre-L), shown here with Paul Martin (Centre-R) in 2009, died Friday at the age of 91. Photo by Heinz Ruckemann/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Former Canadian prime minister John Turner has died at the age of 91. Marc Kealeay, a former aide and family friend, told CP24 of Toronto that Turner died peacefully in his sleep at home. Advertisement
"He's in a much better place, and I can say on behalf of the family there was no struggle and it was very, very peaceful," Kealey said.
Turner was dubbed "Canada's Kennedy" when he arrived in Ottawa in the 1960s, serving as justice and then finance minister from 1968 to 1975, resigning after disagreements with then-Liberal Party leader Pierre Trudeau.
A lawyer by training, Turner returned to practicing law briefly and then won party leadership in 1984.
He only served as prime minister for 79 days before Conservatives, under leadership of Brian Mulroney, won 211 seats in parliament, putting Mulroney in power.
Turner continued to serve as Liberal leader until 1990, when he resigned.
Turner was born in England, and emigrated to Canada as a child after the death of his father.
His mother initially moved the family to Rossland, B.C., where she grew up, then to Ottawa.
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A Rhodes scholar and Olympic-caliber track star, Turner graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1949, later studying at Oxford and the Sorbonne before moving to Montreal to practice law and later turning to politics.
"John Turner was one of a kind," prime minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter. "An honourable gentleman and an upstanding Canadian, John cared deeply about democracy, equality, and those he served. His optimistic outlook, energetic approach, and tireless service inspired many - and our country is a better place for it."
Former prime minister Paul Martin said Turner was "an enourmous source of support and advice for me during my years in office."
Notable deaths of 2020


upi--2020-09-19--President Donald Trump tells GOP not to delay filling Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Supreme Court seat

Sept. 19 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump said Saturday that he intends to nominate a candidate to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg next week and that he will `` most likely '' nominate a woman .
`` I would say that a woman would be in first place , '' Trump said , adding that he has a short list of candidates .
`` Yes , the choice of a woman I would say would certainly be appropriate . ''
He also said he disagreed with Sen. Susan Collins , R-Maine , who has said that the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the November election .
`` We won .
And we have an obligation as the winners to pick who we want , '' Trump said .
Earlier Saturday Trump told Republicans not to delay filling the Supreme Court vacancy left by Ginsburg 's death Friday .
Trump announced that Ginsburg must be replaced on the Supreme Court `` without delay '' in a tweet the day after the 87-year-old 's death from pancreatic cancer .
`` @ GOP We were put in this position of power and importance to make decisions for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most important of which has long been considered to be the selection of United States Supreme Court Justices .
We have this obligation , without delay ! ''
Trump tweeted .
Trump released a list earlier this month of 20 potential conservative nominees to the bench to galvanize conservative support .
Among those under consideration were Sens .
Tom Cotton , R-Ark.
, Ted Cruz , R-Texas , and Josh Hawley , R-Mo .
; Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron ; former U.S. Solicitors General Paul Clement and Noel Francisco ; along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lower courts .
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky , .
previously blocked President Barack Obama 's nomination of Merrick Garland after Justice Antonin Scalia died nine months before the 2016 election , citing that it was an election year .
`` The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice , '' McConnell said at the time .
`` Therefore , this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president . ''
But now less than two months before Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he plans to hold a floor vote for Trump 's nominee when he announces one .
In a statement Friday , McConnell said that the nation mourns Ginsburg 's sudden death , and then went onto explain why he thinks that she should be replaced during an election year unlike Scalia .
`` In the last midterm election before Justice Scalia 's death in 2016 , Americans elected a Republican Senate majority because we pledged to check and balance the last days of a lame-duck president 's second term .
We kept our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate has confirmed an opposite-party president 's Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year , '' McConnell wrote .
`` By contrast , Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda , particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary .
Once again , we will keep our promise . ''
Former President Barack Obama said in a Medium post that it would be unfair to fill the seat before the upcoming election .
`` A basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyday fairness -- is that we apply rules with consistency , and not based on what 's convenient or advantageous in the moment , '' Obama wrote .
`` That rule of law , the legitimacy of our courts , the fundamental workings of our democracy all depend on that basic principle .
As votes are already being cast in this election , Republican Senators are now called to apply that standard .
The questions before the court now and in the coming years -- with decisions that will determine whether or not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just , women are treated equally , our planet survives , and our democracy endures -- are too consequential to future generations for courts to be filled through anything less than an unimpeachable process . ''
The vacant seat on the Supreme Court bench creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity , according to conservatives , to change the bench makeup from its split of five conservative justices and four liberal ones to a more conservative 6-3 majority .
A new justice would need a simple majority vote in the Senate for confirmation and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but McConnell could fast-track the process .
Republicans have 53 votes in the Senate to Democrats ' 47 , and Vice President Mike Pence could break a tie .
Moderate Republican senators hold crucial votes , including Collins , Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska , and Mitt Romney , R-Utah .
`` I would not vote to confirm a Supreme Court nominee , '' Murkowski told Alaska Public Media on Friday , noting that while Obama was president , McConnell said Americans need to pick the next president before the Senate confirmed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some days away from an election . ''

President Donald Trump said Saturday Republicans have an "obligation" to fill the vacant seat of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg "without delay." Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 19 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said Saturday that he intends to nominate a candidate to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg next week and that he will "most likely" nominate a woman. "I would say that a woman would be in first place," Trump said, adding that he has a short list of candidates. "Yes, the choice of a woman I would say would certainly be appropriate." Advertisement
He also said he disagreed with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who has said that the Senate should not vote on a nominee before the November election.
"We won. And we have an obligation as the winners to pick who we want," Trump said.
Earlier Saturday Trump told Republicans not to delay filling the Supreme Court vacancy left by Ginsburg's death Friday.
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Trump announced that Ginsburg must be replaced on the Supreme Court "without delay" in a tweet the day after the 87-year-old's death from pancreatic cancer.
"@GOP We were put in this position of power and importance to make decisions for the people who so proudly elected us, the most important of which has long been considered to be the selection of United States Supreme Court Justices. We have this obligation, without delay!" Trump tweeted.
Trump released a list earlier this month of 20 potential conservative nominees to the bench to galvanize conservative support.
Among those under consideration were Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo.; Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron; former U.S. Solicitors General Paul Clement and Noel Francisco; along with other judges Trump has nominated to the lower courts.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky,. previously blocked President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland after Justice Antonin Scalia died nine months before the 2016 election, citing that it was an election year.
"The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice," McConnell said at the time. "Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president."
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But now less than two months before Election Day on Nov. 3, McConnell said he plans to hold a floor vote for Trump's nominee when he announces one.
In a statement Friday, McConnell said that the nation mourns Ginsburg's sudden death, and then went onto explain why he thinks that she should be replaced during an election year unlike Scalia.
"In the last midterm election before Justice Scalia's death in 2016, Americans elected a Republican Senate majority because we pledged to check and balance the last days of a lame-duck president's second term. We kept our promise. Since the 1880s, no Senate has confirmed an opposite-party president's Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year," McConnell wrote.
"By contrast, Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary. Once again, we will keep our promise."
Former President Barack Obama said in a Medium post that it would be unfair to fill the seat before the upcoming election.
"A basic principle of the law -- and of everyday fairness -- is that we apply rules with consistency, and not based on what's convenient or advantageous in the moment," Obama wrote.
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"That rule of law, the legitimacy of our courts, the fundamental workings of our democracy all depend on that basic principle. As votes are already being cast in this election, Republican Senators are now called to apply that standard. The questions before the court now and in the coming years -- with decisions that will determine whether or not our economy is fair, our society is just, women are treated equally, our planet survives, and our democracy endures -- are too consequential to future generations for courts to be filled through anything less than an unimpeachable process."
The vacant seat on the Supreme Court bench creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity, according to conservatives, to change the bench makeup from its split of five conservative justices and four liberal ones to a more conservative 6-3 majority.
A new justice would need a simple majority vote in the Senate for confirmation and the process typically takes two to three months, but McConnell could fast-track the process.
Republicans have 53 votes in the Senate to Democrats' 47, and Vice President Mike Pence could break a tie. Moderate Republican senators hold crucial votes, including Collins, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mitt Romney, R-Utah.
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"I would not vote to confirm a Supreme Court nominee," Murkowski told Alaska Public Media on Friday, noting that while Obama was president, McConnell said Americans need to pick the next president before the Senate confirmed a new justice. "We are 50 some days away from an election."
Mourning Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg


upi--2020-09-19--Protesters return to Portland streets after pausing due to smoke

Sept. 19 ( UPI ) -- Demonstrators returned to downtown Portland Friday to call for police reforms after taking a hiatus of more than a week due to unhealthy air quality .
The protests had continued for more than 101 days , beginning at the end of May and stalling last week after smoke from wildfires throughout the region choked the city with smoke , with air quality consistently being rated as hazardous or unhealthy until the end of this week .
Portland protesters , many of whom shifted their focus to provide aid to wildfire victims as fires ravaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of demands frequently chanted during the demonstrations .
They 've asked the city to cut the police budget , move the money to social services and grant protesters amnesty from prosecution .
And they 've repeatedly demanded the resignation of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler , who is up for re-election in November .
The demonstration was also the first since Wheeler banned local police from using tear gas on crowds .
But that ban does n't apply to federal officers , who deployed gas on protesters as they gathered near the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Portland Police Bureau posted , then deleted , a tweet listing tear gas on the list of crowd control agents that would be used if protesters did not disperse .
Later the bureau posted a new tweet that did not mention tear gas .
Asked for clarification on the tweets by KOIN , Sgt .
Kevin Allen said the bureau is `` required by law to make that warning '' but is still prevented from using tear gas .
Police arrested 11 people in connection with the demonstrations , according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bureau .
Most were charged with disorderly conduct , interfering with police or both .
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt , who was elected earlier this year and took office in August , has said he wo n't prosecute demonstrators on charges commonly connected to protests -- including disorderly conduct or interfering with an officer -- unless there are additional charges that involve deliberate property damage , theft or force against another person or threats of force .

Riot police travel toward a demonstration in Portland, Ore., Friday. Image via KGW News/ YouTube
Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Demonstrators returned to downtown Portland Friday to call for police reforms after taking a hiatus of more than a week due to unhealthy air quality. The protests had continued for more than 101 days, beginning at the end of May and stalling last week after smoke from wildfires throughout the region choked the city with smoke, with air quality consistently being rated as hazardous or unhealthy until the end of this week. Advertisement
Portland protesters, many of whom shifted their focus to provide aid to wildfire victims as fires ravaged the state, have generated a four-point list of demands frequently chanted during the demonstrations.
They've asked the city to cut the police budget, move the money to social services and grant protesters amnesty from prosecution.
And they've repeatedly demanded the resignation of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who is up for re-election in November.
The demonstration was also the first since Wheeler banned local police from using tear gas on crowds.
But that ban doesn't apply to federal officers, who deployed gas on protesters as they gathered near the city's Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.
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The Portland Police Bureau posted, then deleted, a tweet listing tear gas on the list of crowd control agents that would be used if protesters did not disperse. Later the bureau posted a new tweet that did not mention tear gas.
Asked for clarification on the tweets by KOIN, Sgt. Kevin Allen said the bureau is "required by law to make that warning" but is still prevented from using tear gas.
Police arrested 11 people in connection with the demonstrations, according to a Saturday press release from the Portland Police Bureau. Most were charged with disorderly conduct, interfering with police or both.
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, who was elected earlier this year and took office in August, has said he won't prosecute demonstrators on charges commonly connected to protests -- including disorderly conduct or interfering with an officer -- unless there are additional charges that involve deliberate property damage, theft or force against another person or threats of force.


upi--2020-09-19--New fire breaks out in Los Angeles county; Northwest fire crews go into isolation

Sept. 19 ( UPI ) -- A new wildfire broke out in California Friday and had burned 91,000 acres of land and some firefighters went into isolation this weekend after being exposed to COVID-19 amid record-breaking fires that have burned up and down the West Coast .
A fire dubbed the Bobcat Fire or Juniper Hills fire broke out amid intense winds Friday in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County .
By Saturday the fire had burned nearly 100,000 acres and was threatening desert communities near Highway 138 and taking several homes in foothills areas .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It 's the most recent in a series of fires that have burned across the west since August .
Several California fires -- the LNU Lightning Complex fire , the SCU Lightning Complex fire and the CZU LAugust Lightning Complex fire -- were reported 98 % contained as of Saturday .
But the west continues to burn , with the novel coronavirus placing additional strain on firefighting resources in the Northwest this weekend .
A member of a resupply crew aiding firefighters in the Pacific Northwest tested positive for coronavirus this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firefighting efforts into temporary isolation .
The New York Times reported Saturday that members of a fire management team that was deployed in Carson , Wash. , about 50 miles northeast of Portland , were placed into isolation as fire commanders attempted to determine who had been exposed to the infected supply crew member .
`` Fire season is already an unbelievable stress - on resources and the firefighters , '' said Hillary Franz , Washington 's commissioner of public lands , Friday .
`` You add in a deadly pandemic , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In April U.S. Forest Service chief Vicki Christiansen ordered a new strategy for fighting wildfires in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus .
That strategy included a renewed focus on using local firefighting crews and a strategy of rapid containment intended to prevent fires from growing to sizes that require bigger crews -- but the latter strategy has not prevented a record-breaking wildfire season that has destroyed thousands of structures and burned millions of acres of land .
Fires have also killed 26 people across the region .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West Coast .

A team overseeing firefighting efforts in the Pacific Northwest went into isolation Friday after a member of a resupply crew tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Photo by U.S. Forest Service - Pacific Northwest Region/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 19 (UPI) -- A new wildfire broke out in California Friday and had burned 91,000 acres of land and some firefighters went into isolation this weekend after being exposed to COVID-19 amid record-breaking fires that have burned up and down the West Coast. A fire dubbed the Bobcat Fire or Juniper Hills fire, which broke out Sept. 6, intensified amid high winds Friday in the Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County. Advertisement
By Saturday the fire had burned nearly 100,000 acres and was threatening desert communities near Highway 138 and taking several homes in foothills areas.
It was 15% contained as of Saturday morning.
It's the most recent in a series of fires that have burned across the west since August.
Several California fires -- the LNU Lightning Complex fire, the SCU Lightning Complex fire and the CZU LAugust Lightning Complex fire -- were reported 98% contained as of Saturday.
But the west continues to burn, with the novel coronavirus placing additional strain on firefighting resources in the Northwest this weekend.
A member of a resupply crew aiding firefighters in the Pacific Northwest tested positive for coronavirus this week, sending a team in charge of firefighting efforts into temporary isolation.
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The New York Times reported Saturday that members of a fire management team that was deployed in Carson, Wash., about 50 miles northeast of Portland, were placed into isolation as fire commanders attempted to determine who had been exposed to the infected supply crew member.
"Fire season is already an unbelievable stress - on resources and the firefighters," said Hillary Franz, Washington's commissioner of public lands, Friday. "You add in a deadly pandemic, it makes it all the more challenging."
In April U.S. Forest Service chief Vicki Christiansen ordered a new strategy for fighting wildfires in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
That strategy included a renewed focus on using local firefighting crews and a strategy of rapid containment intended to prevent fires from growing to sizes that require bigger crews -- but the latter strategy has not prevented a record-breaking wildfire season that has destroyed thousands of structures and burned millions of acres of land.
Fires have also killed 26 people across the region.
More than 20,000 firefighters have been dispatched across the West Coast.


upi--2020-09-19--Matthew Wolff cards a 65, takes lead at 2020 U.S. Open

Sept. 19 ( UPI ) -- American Matthew Wolff shot a 5-under par 65 in the third round of the 2020 U.S. Open on Saturday to earn a two-shot lead on the field as the major championship enters Sunday 's final round .
Wolff , 21 , is the youngest player to lead the tournament through three rounds since 1975 .
`` I feel really good in all parts of my game and I 'm just excited to be where I 'm at , '' Wolff told reporters .
`` I look forward to tomorrow . ''
The 2019 NCAA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ round with a birdie on hole No .
1 Saturday at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck , N.Y. Wolff went on to make five birdies through the front nine .
He then made par on his first six holes on the back nine before he carded a bogey on No .
16 .
He made par on No .
17 before he finished the round with a birdie on No .
18 .
Bryson DeChambeau shot an even-par 70 and is in second place at 3-under par for the tournament .
Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ par after he shot a 68 in the third round .
Hideki Matsuyama , Xander Schauffele and Harris English are tied for fourth place at even par .
Patrick Reed -- who led after the first two rounds -- dropped to 11th place after he shot a 7-over par 77 Saturday at Winged Foot .
Reed carded a 66 on Friday and had a one-stroke lead on the field when he teed off Saturday .
World No .
1 Dustin Johnson was 2-over par on Saturday and sits in a tie for 21st @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 6-over par in the third round and is tied for 17th place .
Wolff is looking to win his first career major .
He finished fourth at the 2020 PGA Championship .
He has one PGA Tour victory since he turned professional in 2019 .
The final round of the 2020 U.S. Open airs from 10 a.m. to noon EDT Sunday on Golf Channel and from noon to 6 p.m. EDT on NBC .
`` I 'm probably going to be a little antsy , '' Wolff said of his approach to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Open and I have a lead .
I 'm going to try to keep my nerves as calm as they can be . ''

Matthew Wolff takes a two-shot lead on the field into the final round of the 2020 U.S. Open Sunday at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 19 (UPI) -- American Matthew Wolff shot a 5-under par 65 in the third round of the 2020 U.S. Open on Saturday to earn a two-shot lead on the field as the major championship enters Sunday's final round. Wolff, 21, is the youngest player to lead the tournament through three rounds since 1975. Advertisement
"I feel really good in all parts of my game and I'm just excited to be where I'm at," Wolff told reporters. "I look forward to tomorrow."
The 2019 NCAA Division I golf champion began the third round with a birdie on hole No. 1 Saturday at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.
Wolff went on to make five birdies through the front nine. He then made par on his first six holes on the back nine before he carded a bogey on No. 16. He made par on No. 17 before he finished the round with a birdie on No. 18.
Bryson DeChambeau shot an even-par 70 and is in second place at 3-under par for the tournament. Louis Oosthuizen is in third place at 1-under par after he shot a 68 in the third round.
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Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele and Harris English are tied for fourth place at even par.
Patrick Reed -- who led after the first two rounds -- dropped to 11th place after he shot a 7-over par 77 Saturday at Winged Foot. Reed carded a 66 on Friday and had a one-stroke lead on the field when he teed off Saturday.
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson was 2-over par on Saturday and sits in a tie for 21st place. No. 2 Justin Thomas was 6-over par in the third round and is tied for 17th place.
Wolff is looking to win his first career major. He finished fourth at the 2020 PGA Championship. He has one PGA Tour victory since he turned professional in 2019.
What a BEAUTY on 18 from @Matthew_Wolff5. He birdies his final hole to extend his lead to three.pic.twitter.com/NmJedqAFo6— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 19, 2020
The final round of the 2020 U.S. Open airs from 10 a.m. to noon EDT Sunday on Golf Channel and from noon to 6 p.m. EDT on NBC.
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"I'm probably going to be a little antsy," Wolff said of his approach to the final round. "It's the U.S. Open and I have a lead. I'm going to try to keep my nerves as calm as they can be."


upi--2020-09-19--House Foreign Affairs chairman subpoenas U.S. global media chief

Sept. 19 ( UPI ) -- House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel has subpoenaed U.S. global media chief Michael Pack amid fears of bias .
Democrats fear Pack , the CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media since June , an appointee of President Donald Trump , and close ally of former Trump aide Steve Bannon , will move to reshape the leadership and independence of news organizations , such as Voice of America , to be biased in favor of Trump .
The House Affairs panel called Pack to testify after a series of firings in June , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the heads of three international broadcast networks for Europe , the Middle East , and Asia .
Critics fear Pack will jeopardize the independence of broadcast networks , charged with objectively reporting about the United States and its foreign policy to an international audience of 350 million people .
Engel , D-N.Y. , said Friday Pack planned to back out on his commitment to appear at a Sept. 24 hearing .
`` His office failed to provide any reasonable alternative dates and his excuse for breaking his commitment is not acceptable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pack has insisted the firings were a routine part of new leadership at the organization and a U.S. Agency for Global Media spokesperson said Friday that Pack could n't attend due to a scheduling conflict .
`` Michael Pack is disappointed that the Committee has decided to escalate the situation , '' the spokesperson said in a statement .
`` Pack is eager to testify before the Committee to talk about the critical work of USAGM and to answer members ' questions . ''
Senate Republicans pushed through the conservative filmmaker 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Media back in June despite objections from Democrats , who said that the process should be stalled pending the District of Columbia attorney general 's investigation into whether he illegally funneled money from his nonprofit group to his for-profit film company .

The House Foreign Affairs committee chairman has subpoenaed Michael Pack (shown) to compel him to appear before the committee to testify on Sept. 24. Photo courtesy of U.S. Government
Sept. 19 (UPI) -- House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel has subpoenaed U.S. global media chief Michael Pack amid fears of bias. Democrats fear Pack, the CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media since June, an appointee of President Donald Trump, and close ally of former Trump aide Steve Bannon, will move to reshape the leadership and independence of news organizations, such as Voice of America, to be biased in favor of Trump. Advertisement
The House Affairs panel called Pack to testify after a series of firings in June, Pack's first month on the job, including the heads of three international broadcast networks for Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Critics fear Pack will jeopardize the independence of broadcast networks, charged with objectively reporting about the United States and its foreign policy to an international audience of 350 million people.
Engel, D-N.Y., said Friday Pack planned to back out on his commitment to appear at a Sept. 24 hearing.
"His office failed to provide any reasonable alternative dates and his excuse for breaking his commitment is not acceptable," Engle said in a statement.
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Pack has insisted the firings were a routine part of new leadership at the organization and a U.S. Agency for Global Media spokesperson said Friday that Pack couldn't attend due to a scheduling conflict.
"Michael Pack is disappointed that the Committee has decided to escalate the situation," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Pack is eager to testify before the Committee to talk about the critical work of USAGM and to answer members' questions."
Senate Republicans pushed through the conservative filmmaker's confirmation to the U.S. Agency for Global Media back in June despite objections from Democrats, who said that the process should be stalled pending the District of Columbia attorney general's investigation into whether he illegally funneled money from his nonprofit group to his for-profit film company.