upi--2020-08-17--Sierra Nevada aims to complete Dream Chaser space plane in March

ORLANDO , Fla. , Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- Colorado-based Sierra Nevada Corp. aims to complete its first operational Dream Chaser space plane by March to provide cargo trips to the International Space Station .
The spacecraft , which resembles a small space shuttle , originally was proposed to carry astronauts , but Sierra Nevada so far only has NASA contracts for cargo .
Company executives continue to say they believe Dream Chaser will carry people someday .
The company updates designs for Dream Chaser as NASA 's commercial crew program updates its requirements .
`` We 've never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although we are not currently funded by NASA for crew missions , '' said John Roth , vice president of business development at the company , told UPI last week .
Sierra Nevada plans Dream Chaser 's first cargo mission for late 2021 , to be launched aboard a United Launch Alliance rocket .
Since it is n't carrying people , no test flights beyond short drops from aircraft completed in 2013 and 2017 are required , Roth said .
`` NASA will look at our ability to control the vehicle and rendezvous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sierra Nevada in 2014 lost a competition for a multibillion-dollar astronaut contract to SpaceX and Boeing in NASA 's Commercial Crew Program , but has won over $ 2 billion in NASA contracts to develop Dream Chaser as a cargo vessel .
SpaceX on Aug. 2 completed the first successful flight of its Crew Dragon capsule to the space station and back with astronauts on board .
Boeing 's first attempt to fly its Starliner capsule to the space station failed in December .
The company plans to try the test flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would return to Earth under its own power .
A prototype has been tested by dropping it from an aircraft , but it has yet to launch as intended on a rocket sent into space .
Sierra Nevada won NASA contracts for two cargo trips , Roth said .
The company has reserved six launches on ULA 's new Vulcan Centaur rocket , which is being developed .
Dream Chaser should be more appealing , someday , to space tourists since it resembles a plane and does n't land with a jolt under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Sierra Nevada plans to develop an entire business line around Dream Chaser , including space tourism , said Chris Quilty , an analyst with St. Petersburg , Fla.-based Quilty Analytics .
`` Losing the astronaut contract was a disappointment , but getting the cargo contract , that was a lifeline for Dream Chaser , '' Quilty said .
`` Unlike a capsule , this can touch down on a runway , and NASA or other scientists can retrieve time-sensitive payloads immediately . ''
Sierra Nevada still has time to grab NASA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perform well on its next test flight , said Marco Cáceres , senior space analyst at Washington D.C.-based Teal Group .
`` Their relationship with NASA is solid , and that 's a good thing , '' Caceres said .
`` Boeing was a legacy supplier , and [ NASA ] really could n't say no to SpaceX . ''
Ultimately , safety and reliability will determine who flies spacecraft with people on board , he said .
Sierra Nevada challenged NASA 's decision to cut it out of the astronaut program .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 .
`` NASA also recognized several favorable features in the Sierra Nevada and SpaceX proposals , but ultimately concluded that SpaceX 's lower price made it a better value than the proposal submitted by Sierra Nevada , '' the summary of the decision said .

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The Dream Chaser space plane sits on the runway at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California in September 2017. Photo courtesy of Sierra Nevada Corp.
ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Colorado-based Sierra Nevada Corp. aims to complete its first operational Dream Chaser space plane by March to provide cargo trips to the International Space Station. The spacecraft, which resembles a small space shuttle, originally was proposed to carry astronauts, but Sierra Nevada so far only has NASA contracts for cargo. Advertisement
Company executives continue to say they believe Dream Chaser will carry people someday. The company updates designs for Dream Chaser as NASA's commercial crew program updates its requirements.
"We've never stopped trying to move that forward, although we are not currently funded by NASA for crew missions," said John Roth, vice president of business development at the company, told UPI last week.
Sierra Nevada plans Dream Chaser's first cargo mission for late 2021, to be launched aboard a United Launch Alliance rocket. Since it isn't carrying people, no test flights beyond short drops from aircraft completed in 2013 and 2017 are required, Roth said.
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"NASA will look at our ability to control the vehicle and rendezvous with the station," Roth said.
Sierra Nevada in 2014 lost a competition for a multibillion-dollar astronaut contract to SpaceX and Boeing in NASA's Commercial Crew Program, but has won over $2 billion in NASA contracts to develop Dream Chaser as a cargo vessel.
SpaceX on Aug. 2 completed the first successful flight of its Crew Dragon capsule to the space station and back with astronauts on board.
Boeing's first attempt to fly its Starliner capsule to the space station failed in December. The company plans to try the test flight again later this year.
Dream Chaser would return to Earth under its own power. A prototype has been tested by dropping it from an aircraft, but it has yet to launch as intended on a rocket sent into space.
Sierra Nevada won NASA contracts for two cargo trips, Roth said. The company has reserved six launches on ULA's new Vulcan Centaur rocket, which is being developed.
Dream Chaser should be more appealing, someday, to space tourists since it resembles a plane and doesn't land with a jolt under parachutes like a space capsule, Roth said.
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Sierra Nevada plans to develop an entire business line around Dream Chaser, including space tourism, said Chris Quilty, an analyst with St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Quilty Analytics.
"Losing the astronaut contract was a disappointment, but getting the cargo contract, that was a lifeline for Dream Chaser," Quilty said. "Unlike a capsule, this can touch down on a runway, and NASA or other scientists can retrieve time-sensitive payloads immediately."
Sierra Nevada still has time to grab NASA's attention again if Boeing doesn't perform well on its next test flight, said Marco Cáceres, senior space analyst at Washington D.C.-based Teal Group.
"Their relationship with NASA is solid, and that's a good thing," Caceres said. "Boeing was a legacy supplier, and [NASA] really couldn't say no to SpaceX."
Ultimately, safety and reliability will determine who flies spacecraft with people on board, he said.
Sierra Nevada challenged NASA's decision to cut it out of the astronaut program. But a government watchdog rejected the challenge in 2018.
"NASA also recognized several favorable features in the Sierra Nevada and SpaceX proposals, but ultimately concluded that SpaceX's lower price made it a better value than the proposal submitted by Sierra Nevada," the summary of the decision said.
Astronauts make round trip to space station from U.S. soil
NASA astronaut Douglas Hurley (C) waves to onlookers as he boards a plane at Naval Air Station Pensacola to return him and NASA astronaut Robert Behnken home to Houston a few hours after the duo landed in their SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft off the coast of Pensacola, Fla,, on August 2, 2020. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA | License Photo


upi--2020-08-17--Steve Levy, Louis Riddick, Brian Griese to join 'Monday Night Football' booth

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- Veteran ESPN anchor Steve Levy and analysts Brian Griese and Louis Riddick will join the Monday Night Football booth for the 2020 season , the network announced Monday .
The three-man commentary team will make their debut during the Denver Broncos ' home game against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 14 , the second game of ESPN 's doubleheader that night .
`` Steve , Brian and Louis are trusted voices of the NFL whose knowledge and love of football connects with fans , '' Connor Schell , ESPN executive vice president of content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We are thrilled that they will join Lisa Salters to make up our new Monday Night Football team and share their passion and insight with football fans in what promises to be a great broadcast each week . ''
The trio of Levy , Griese and Riddick manned ESPN 's Monday Night Football booth last season for the then-Oakland Raiders ' matchup against the Broncos in Week 1 .
They replace the duo of Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland .
Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit -- the network 's lead college football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debut in Week 1 .
The duo will call the Pittsburgh Steelers-New York Giants game in the first part of ESPN 's MNF doubleheader .
`` Chris and Kirk are commentators at the top of their game and have thrilled college football fans for many years , '' Schell said .
`` We are looking to add new opportunities to their expansive portfolios and are confident that NFL fans will be just as excited to hear one of the most prolific broadcasting duos on Monday Night Football . ''
Week 2 will take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raiders ' first home game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas , where they will host the New Orleans Saints .
In Week 3 , the trio will head to Baltimore for the Ravens ' matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs .

Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Veteran ESPN anchor Steve Levy and analysts Brian Griese and Louis Riddick will join the Monday Night Football booth for the 2020 season, the network announced Monday.
The three-man commentary team will make their debut during the Denver Broncos' home game against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 14, the second game of ESPN's doubleheader that night.
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"Steve, Brian and Louis are trusted voices of the NFL whose knowledge and love of football connects with fans," Connor Schell, ESPN executive vice president of content, said in a statement Monday.
"We are thrilled that they will join Lisa Salters to make up our new Monday Night Football team and share their passion and insight with football fans in what promises to be a great broadcast each week."
The trio of Levy, Griese and Riddick manned ESPN's Monday Night Football booth last season for the then-Oakland Raiders' matchup against the Broncos in Week 1. They replace the duo of Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland.
Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit -- the network's lead college football broadcasting team -- will make their NFL debut in Week 1. The duo will call the Pittsburgh Steelers-New York Giants game in the first part of ESPN's MNF doubleheader.
"Chris and Kirk are commentators at the top of their game and have thrilled college football fans for many years," Schell said. "We are looking to add new opportunities to their expansive portfolios and are confident that NFL fans will be just as excited to hear one of the most prolific broadcasting duos on Monday Night Football."
Week 2 will take Levy, Griese and Riddick to the Raiders' first home game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where they will host the New Orleans Saints. In Week 3, the trio will head to Baltimore for the Ravens' matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.


upi--2020-08-17--2020 Democratic National Convention opens with Black Lives Matter tribute

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- The 2020 Democratic National Convention opened with a tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement on Monday night .
Following a performance of a children 's choir singing the Star-Spangled Banner , the digital event moved into a montage of images and videos from the protests against systemic racism and police brutality that swept the nation and many parts of the world following the police-involved killing of George Floyd in Minnesota on Memorial Day .
Floyd 's brother , Philonise Floyd , remembered his brother as a `` selfless '' man whose spirit was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
He also declared that his brother , Breonna Taylor , Ahmaud Arbery , Eric Garner , Stephon Clark , Atatiana Jefferson and Sandra Bland should all still be alive today .
`` It 's up to us to carry on the fight for justice , our actions , will be their legacies .
We must always find ourselves in what John Lewis called 'good trouble , ' '' he said , before leading a moment of silence for those who lost their lives to `` hate and injustice . ''
Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump 's decision to deploy federal law enforcement to disperse peaceful protesters near St. John 's Episcopal Church as the president posed for a photo holding a Bible .
`` I knew if he did this to D.C. he would do it to your city or your town and that 's when I said 'enough . '
I said 'enough ' for every Black and Brown American who has experienced injustice .
'Enough ' for every American who believes in justice , '' said Bowser .
Rep. Jim Clyburn , D-S.C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Joe Biden as a candidate capable of unifying the country amid the ongoing injustices facing people of color .
`` We will need a president who sees unifying people as a requirement of the job , '' he said .
`` A president who understands the true meaning of community -- and how to build it through trust and humility .
And with so many families experiencing loss in this pandemic -- lost jobs , lost loved ones and lost confidence in the president to keep us safe -- we need a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it takes to bounce back . ''

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Live feeds for the remote Democratic National Convention are managed in a control room at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee on Monday. Pool Photo by Scott Olson/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A list of prominent Democrats called for new leadership Monday night to address a multitude of issues in the United States on the first night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The convention, staged mostly remotely for the first time in its history, featured speakers during the prime-time portion that included former presidential candidate and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and a number of others. Advertisement
The first night culminated with an address by former first lady Michelle Obama, who urged voters to make a change in leadership.
"Four years ago, too many people chose to believe that their votes didn't matter. Maybe they were fed up. Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn't be close. Maybe the barriers felt too steep," she said. "Whatever the reason, in the end, those choices sent someone to the Oval Office who lost the national popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.
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"And we've all been living with the consequences."
Obama praised Joe Biden, who will officially clinch the Democratic nomination for president this week, for his work as vice president alongside her husband, former President Barack Obama. She called President Donald Trump "the wrong president for our country."
"A president's words have the power to move markets. They can start wars or broker peace. They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts. You simply cannot fake your way through this job," she said.
"More than 150,000 people have died [of COVID-19], and our economy is in shambles because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long. It has left millions of people jobless. Too many have lost their healthcare. Too many are struggling to take care of basic necessities like food and rent. Too many communities have been left in the lurch to grapple with whether and how to open our schools safely.
"Internationally, we've turned our back, not just on agreements forged by my husband, but on alliances championed by presidents like [Ronald] Reagan and [Dwight D.] Eisenhower. And here at home, as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and a never-ending list of innocent people of color continue to be murdered, stating the simple fact that a Black life matters is still met with derision from the nation's highest office."
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Biden also received messages of support from former rivals in the race for the Democratic nomination to challenge Trump in the Nov. 3 election.
"To everyone who supported other candidates in the primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election: The future of our democracy is at stake," Sanders said. "The future of our economy is at stake. The future of our planet is at stake.
"We must come together, defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president. My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine."
Monday night's theme was "We the People" and promoted solutions for social and racial equality, the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.
Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, remembered his brother in a segment as a "selfless" man whose spirit was reflected in the protests that followed his death.
He said his brother, as well as Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Stephon Clark, Atatiana Jefferson and Sandra Bland, should all still be alive today.
"It's up to us to carry on the fight for justice, our actions will be their legacies," he said.
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"We must always find ourselves in what [late Georgia Rep.] John Lewis called 'good trouble,'" he added before leading a moment of silence for those who lost their lives to "hate and injustice."
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser condemned Trump's decision to deploy federal law enforcement to disperse peaceful protesters near the city's St. John's Episcopal Church in June so the president could pose for a photo holding a Bible.
"I knew if he did this to D.C., he would do it to your city or your town and that's when I said 'enough,'" she said. "I said 'enough' for every Black and Brown American who has experienced injustice. 'Enough' for every American who believes in justice."
Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., delivered a message hailing Biden as a candidate capable of unifying the country amid ongoing injustices facing people of color.
"We will need a president who sees unifying people as a requirement of the job," he said. "A president who understands the true meaning of community -- and how to build it through trust and humility.
"And with so many families experiencing loss in this pandemic -- lost jobs, lost loved ones and lost confidence in the president to keep us safe -- we need a president who understands both profound loss and what it takes to bounce back."
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Cuomo described how New York has been devastated by COVID-19 and how it has rebounded.
"For all the pain and all the tears, our way worked. And it was beautiful," he said.
"We showed that our better angels are strong and that Americans would rise to their call. We saw that even at the end of the day, even if it is a long day, that love wins."
Kristin Urquiza, an Arizona woman whose father was a Trump supporter, spoke about how he trusted the president and didn't take the pandemic seriously enough. He eventually was sickened by COVID-19 and died.
Urquiza, who pledged to vote for Biden, said her father's only pre-existing condition was "believing in Donald Trump."
Later in the evening, a group of Republicans, led by former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, pledged their support for Biden and criticized Trump's leadership.
Kasich, who appeared at a fork on a dirt road, said the United States is at a crossroads and described Biden as a "man for our time." He assured conservatives that the former vice president will not "turn sharp left and leave them behind" and warned of the dangers of keeping Trump in the White House for a second term.
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"Many of us have been deeply concerned about the path we have been following for the past four years," he said. "Continuing to follow that path will have terrible consequences for America's soul, because we are being taken down the road by a president who has pitted one against the other."
The convention's second night on Tuesday will feature appearances and speeches from a prominent Democrats, including Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, former Secretary of State John Kerry and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The evening will conclude with addresses from former President Bill Clinton and Joe Biden's wife, Jill Biden.


upi--2020-08-17--Autopsies show microplastics in all major human organs

Microscopic bits of plastic have most likely taken up residence in all of the major filtering organs in your body , a new lab study suggests .
Researchers found evidence of plastic contamination in tissue samples taken from the lungs , liver , spleen and kidneys of donated human cadavers .
`` We have detected these chemicals of plastics in every single organ that we have investigated , '' said senior researcher Rolf Halden , director of the Arizona State University Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering .
There 's long been concern that the chemicals in plastics could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from diabetes and obesity to sexual dysfunction and infertility .
But the presence of these microscopic particles in major organs also raises the potential that they could act as carcinogenic irritants in much the same way as asbestos , Halden explained .
`` It is not always necessarily the chemistry that harms us .
Sometimes it 's the shape and the presence of foreign particles in our bodies , '' Halden said .
`` We know the inhalation of asbestos leads to inflammation and that can be followed by cancer . ''
Previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people ingest about 5 grams of plastic every week , the equivalent of a credit card , said Dianna Cohen , CEO of the nonprofit Plastic Pollution Coalition .
`` It 's heartening to see quality quantitative research being performed on humans to assess the cumulative harmful effects of these microplastics , '' Cohen said of the new study .
`` On the other hand , it 's totally depressing to see what the scientific advisers in our field have been warning us all about for so long regarding plastic consumption .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his colleagues analyzed 47 tissue samples provided by ASU 's Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center , which has built up a brain and body bank from donors as part of its research into conditions like Alzheimer 's disease .
The researchers were specifically looking for the presence of particles so small that they could transfer from the digestive system into the bloodstream , where they would `` circulate with the blood flow and get hung up in filtration organs like the lungs or the kidneys or the liver , '' Halden explained .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ microplastics from the tissue samples , then analyzed them using a technique called spectrometry .
Microplastics are plastic fragments less than 5 millimeters in diameter , or about 0.2 inches , barely visible to the human eye .
The researchers also were looking for nanoplastic particles , with a diameter of 1 micron or 0.001 mm .
A human hair has a diameter of about 50 microns .
The findings were to be presented Monday at the American Chemical Society 's virtual annual meeting .
Such research is considered preliminary until published in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has used its work to create an online calculator that will help other scientists convert information on plastic particle counts into standard units of mass and surface area , which will help assess how much plastic has invaded specific human organs .
The calculator will `` create an atlas of human pollution , '' Halden said .
`` We want to create an exposure map for the human body . ''
People who want to avoid ingesting plastic are out of luck , given all of the plastic in the environment that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Halden and Cohen said .
`` It 's impossible to completely protect ourselves from plastic ingestion , '' Cohen said .
`` Microplastics have been measured in tap water and bottled water , and in the air that we breathe . ''
Food also contains microplastic particles .
Just last week , researchers from the University of Exeter in England and the University of Queensland in Australia found plastic in samples of five different seafoods -- oysters , prawns , squid , crabs and sardines , according to a report published Aug. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Technology .
`` But you can definitely reduce your exposure by simply thinking reusable instead of disposable , '' Cohen continued .
That includes buying as much unpackaged food as possible , and using water bottles and other dishware made from ceramics , metals or other non-plastic sources .
The National Geographic Society has more about microplastics .

Autopsies are finding microplastics in people, and say they are entering human bodies because of widespread use and disposal of plastic -- including in water bottles. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo
Microscopic bits of plastic have most likely taken up residence in all of the major filtering organs in your body, a new lab study suggests. Researchers found evidence of plastic contamination in tissue samples taken from the lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys of donated human cadavers. Advertisement
"We have detected these chemicals of plastics in every single organ that we have investigated," said senior researcher Rolf Halden, director of the Arizona State University Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering.
There's long been concern that the chemicals in plastics could have a wide range of health effects ranging from diabetes and obesity to sexual dysfunction and infertility.
But the presence of these microscopic particles in major organs also raises the potential that they could act as carcinogenic irritants in much the same way as asbestos, Halden explained.
"It is not always necessarily the chemistry that harms us. Sometimes it's the shape and the presence of foreign particles in our bodies," Halden said. "We know the inhalation of asbestos leads to inflammation and that can be followed by cancer."
Advertisement
Previous research has shown that, on average, people ingest about 5 grams of plastic every week, the equivalent of a credit card, said Dianna Cohen, CEO of the nonprofit Plastic Pollution Coalition.
"It's heartening to see quality quantitative research being performed on humans to assess the cumulative harmful effects of these microplastics," Cohen said of the new study. "On the other hand, it's totally depressing to see what the scientific advisers in our field have been warning us all about for so long regarding plastic consumption."
For this study, Halden and his colleagues analyzed 47 tissue samples provided by ASU's Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, which has built up a brain and body bank from donors as part of its research into conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
The researchers were specifically looking for the presence of particles so small that they could transfer from the digestive system into the bloodstream, where they would "circulate with the blood flow and get hung up in filtration organs like the lungs or the kidneys or the liver," Halden explained.
The team developed a procedure to extract microplastics from the tissue samples, then analyzed them using a technique called spectrometry.
Microplastics are plastic fragments less than 5 millimeters in diameter, or about 0.2 inches, barely visible to the human eye. The researchers also were looking for nanoplastic particles, with a diameter of 1 micron or 0.001 mm. A human hair has a diameter of about 50 microns.
Advertisement
The findings were to be presented Monday at the American Chemical Society's virtual annual meeting. Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The research team has used its work to create an online calculator that will help other scientists convert information on plastic particle counts into standard units of mass and surface area, which will help assess how much plastic has invaded specific human organs.
The calculator will "create an atlas of human pollution," Halden said. "We want to create an exposure map for the human body."
People who want to avoid ingesting plastic are out of luck, given all of the plastic in the environment that's constantly being ground down into microscopic particles, Halden and Cohen said.
"It's impossible to completely protect ourselves from plastic ingestion," Cohen said. "Microplastics have been measured in tap water and bottled water, and in the air that we breathe."
Food also contains microplastic particles. Just last week, researchers from the University of Exeter in England and the University of Queensland in Australia found plastic in samples of five different seafoods -- oysters, prawns, squid, crabs and sardines, according to a report published Aug. 12 in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
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"But you can definitely reduce your exposure by simply thinking reusable instead of disposable," Cohen continued. That includes buying as much unpackaged food as possible, and using water bottles and other dishware made from ceramics, metals or other non-plastic sources.
More information
The National Geographic Society has more about microplastics.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-08-17--SEC releases full 2020 football schedule; Alabama-Georgia headlines slate

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- The Southeastern Conference unveiled its entire 2020 football schedule Monday as it continues to @ @ @ @ @ sports season amid the coronavirus pandemic .
A matchup between Alabama and Georgia on Oct. @ @ @ @ @ the SEC 's upcoming slate .
It 's the first regular-season game between the Crimson @ @ @ @ @ , Ala. , since Nick Saban 's first season as Alabama 's head coach in @ @ @ @ @ Alabama and defending national champion LSU meeting Nov. 14 in Baton Rouge , La.
, @ @ @ @ @ who traditionally meet in September -- wo n't play until the final week of the @ @ @ @ @ LSU has n't defeated the Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium since 2010 .
The SEC @ @ @ @ @ Monday and will play a 10-game , conference-only slate this fall .
The SEC , @ @ @ @ @ plan to move forward with its fall seasons , while the Big Ten and Pac-12 @ @ @ @ @ Below is a team-by-team breakdown of the 2020 SEC schedule :

Alabama and Georgia will play Oct. 17 at Bryant-Denny Stadium, marking the first regular-season game between the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa, Ala., since Nick Saban's first season as Alabama's head coach in 2007. File Photo by Ken Levine/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The Southeastern Conference unveiled its entire 2020 football schedule Monday as it continues to move forward with its fall sports season amid the coronavirus pandemic. A matchup between Alabama and Georgia on Oct. 17 at Bryant-Denny Stadium highlights the SEC's upcoming slate. It's the first regular-season game between the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa, Ala., since Nick Saban's first season as Alabama's head coach in 2007. Advertisement
Other highlights include Alabama and defending national champion LSU meeting Nov. 14 in Baton Rouge, La., while Tennessee and Florida -- who traditionally meet in September -- won't play until the final week of the season on Dec. 5. LSU hasn't defeated the Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium since 2010.
The SEC announced its opening-week schedule earlier Monday and will play a 10-game, conference-only slate this fall. The SEC, ACC and Big 12 currently plan to move forward with its fall seasons, while the Big Ten and Pac-12 have postponed fall sports.
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Below is a team-by-team breakdown of the 2020 SEC schedule:
Alabama
Sept. 26: at Missouri
Oct 3: vs. Texas A&M
Oct. 10: at Ole Miss
Oct. 17: vs. Georgia
Oct. 24: at Tennessee
Oct. 31: vs. Mississippi State
Nov. 7: Bye
Nov. 14: at LSU
Nov. 21: vs. Kentucky
Nov. 28: vs. Auburn
Dec. 5: at Arkansas
Arkansas
Sept. 26: vs. Georgia
Oct. 3: at Mississippi State
Oct. 10: at Auburn
Oct. 17: vs. Ole Miss
Oct. 24: Bye
Oct. 31: at Texas A&M
Nov. 7: vs. Tennessee
No. 14: at Florida
Nov. 21: vs. LSU
Nov. 28: at Missouri
Dec. 5: vs. Alabama
Auburn
Sept. 26: vs. Kentucky
Oct. 3: at Georgia
Oct. 10: vs. Arkansas
Oct. 17: at South Carolina
Oct. 24: at Ole Miss
Oct. 31: vs. LSU
Nov. 7: Bye
Nov. 14: at Mississippi State
Nov. 21: vs. Tennessee
Nov. 28: at Alabama
Dec. 5: vs. Texas A&M
Florida
Sept. 26: at Ole Miss
Oct. 3: vs. South Carolina
Oct. 10: at Texas A&M
Oct. 17: vs. LSU
Oct. 24: vs. Missouri
Oct. 31: Bye
Nov. 7: vs. Georgia (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Nov. 14: vs. Arkansas
Nov. 21: at Vanderbilt
Nov. 28: vs. Kentucky
Dec. 5: at Tennessee
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Georgia
Sept. 26: at Arkansas
Oct. 3: vs. Auburn
Oct. 10: vs. Tennessee
Oct. 17: at Alabama
Oct. 24: at Kentucky
Oct. 31: Bye
Nov. 7: vs. Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Nov. 14: at Missouri
Nov. 21: vs. Mississippi State
Nov. 28: at South Carolina
Dec. 5: vs. Vanderbilt
Kentucky
Sept. 26: at Auburn
Oct. 3: vs. Ole Miss
Oct. 10: vs. Mississippi State
Oct. 17: at Tennessee
Oct. 24: vs. Kentucky
Oct. 31: at Missouri
Nov. 7: Bye
Nov. 14: vs. Vanderbilt
Nov. 21: at Alabama
Nov. 28: at Florida
Dec. 5: vs. South Carolina
LSU
Sept. 26: vs. Mississippi State
Oct. 3: at Vanderbilt
Oct. 10: vs. Missouri
Oct. 17: at Florida
Oct. 24: vs. South Carolina
Oct. 31: at Auburn
Nov. 7: Bye
Nov. 14: vs. Alabama
Nov. 21: at Arkansas
Nov. 28: at Texas A&M
Dec. 5: vs. Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Sept. 26: at LSU
Oct. 3: vs. Arkansas
Oct. 10: at Kentucky
Oct. 17: vs. Texas A&M
Oct. 24: Bye
Oct. 31: at Alabama
Nov. 7: vs. Vanderbilt
Nov. 14: vs. Auburn
Nov. 21: at Georgia
Nov. 28: at Ole Miss
Dec. 5: vs. Missouri
Missouri
Sept. 26: vs. Alabama
Oct. 3: at Tennessee
Oct. 10: at LSU
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Oct. 17: vs. Vanderbilt
Oct. 24: at Florida
Oct. 31: vs. Kentucky
Nov. 7: Bye
Nov. 14: vs. Georgia
Nov. 21: at South Carolina
Nov. 28: vs. Arkansas
Dec. 5: at Mississippi State
Ole Miss
Sept. 26: vs. Florida
Oct. 3: at Kentucky
Oct. 10: vs. Alabama
Oct. 17: at Arkansas
Oct. 24: vs. Auburn
Oct. 31: at Vanderbilt
Nov. 7: Bye
Nov. 14: vs. South Carolina
Nov. 21: at Texas A&M
Nov. 28: vs. Mississippi State
Dec. 5: at LSU
South Carolina
Sept. 26: vs. Tennessee
Oct. 3: at Florida
Oct. 10: at Vanderbilt
Oct. 17: vs. Auburn
Oct. 24: at LSU
Oct. 31: Bye
Nov. 7: vs. Texas A&M
Nov. 14: at Ole Miss
Nov. 21: vs. Missouri
Nov. 28: vs. Georgia
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Nov. 7: at South Carolina
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Nov. 21: vs. Ole Miss
Nov. 28: vs. LSU
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Sept. 26: at Texas A&M
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upi--2020-08-17--Marijuana vending machines to offer touchless sales in Colorado, Massachusetts

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- Marijuana vending machines are rolling out in Colorado and Massachusetts to offer customers contactless buying at dispensaries in states where pot is legal .
Boston-based anna debuted the new machines at Strawberry Field dispensary in Pueblo , Colo. , where customers can now buy flower , edibles and vape oils without interacting with a salesperson , the Denver Post reported .
More machines will be installed in Aurora , a Denver suburb , later this year , the company said .
Local agents identify customers through drivers license and approve payment , then buyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's about getting customers through faster with less contact , '' CEO Matt Frost told Masslive.com .
Frost , a former medical data analyst , said Massachusetts dispensary customers can wait in long lines which makes acquiring medical cannabis dangerous for those with compromised immune systems in an age of COVID-19 .
`` A self-checkout solution does lend itself well to these times , '' Frost said .
`` There 's a bigger appetite for what we 're doing now . ''
The machines are set to debut in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recreational marijuana became legal in November of 2018 .
Along with the appeal of touchless buying , mechanizing the sale of marijuana might also be attractive to cannabis companies as 10,000 Massachusetts cannabis dispensary workers recently appealed to the National Labor Relations Board to authorize a mail-in election to unionize .
United Food and Commercial Workers unionized its first commercial dispensary in Massachusetts last fall .
`` The legal cannabis industry is a newly regulated market that can offer local communities jobs with strong wages and benefits that ca n't be outsourced , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Jobs that pay better wages and provide better benefits -- like the ones we represent -- are vital to keeping our economy afloat and families out of poverty . ''
The anna machine is not the first pot vending machine to appear in Colorado .
A vending machine with cameras to check customer IDs was introduced in Eagle-Vail in 2014 .
The Zazz machine was produced by American Green and installed in a dispensary in Avon , Colo .

The machines will arrive in September in Massachusetts, where retail sales of recreational marijuana became legal in 2018. File Photo by 7raysmarketing/Pixabay/UPI
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Marijuana vending machines are rolling out in Colorado and Massachusetts to offer customers contactless buying at dispensaries in states where pot is legal. Boston-based anna debuted the new machines at Strawberry Field dispensary in Pueblo, Colo., where customers can now buy flower, edibles and vape oils without interacting with a salesperson, the Denver Post reported. More machines will be installed in Aurora, a Denver suburb, later this year, the company said. Advertisement
Local agents identify customers through drivers license and approve payment, then buyers pick up their product from the machine.
"It's about getting customers through faster with less contact," CEO Matt Frost told Masslive.com.
Frost, a former medical data analyst, said Massachusetts dispensary customers can wait in long lines which makes acquiring medical cannabis dangerous for those with compromised immune systems in an age of COVID-19.
"A self-checkout solution does lend itself well to these times," Frost said. "There's a bigger appetite for what we're doing now."
The machines are set to debut in September in Massachusetts, where retail sales of recreational marijuana became legal in November of 2018.
Along with the appeal of touchless buying, mechanizing the sale of marijuana might also be attractive to cannabis companies as 10,000 Massachusetts cannabis dispensary workers recently appealed to the National Labor Relations Board to authorize a mail-in election to unionize.
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United Food and Commercial Workers unionized its first commercial dispensary in Massachusetts last fall.
"The legal cannabis industry is a newly regulated market that can offer local communities jobs with strong wages and benefits that can't be outsourced," UFCW said in a statement. "Jobs that pay better wages and provide better benefits -- like the ones we represent -- are vital to keeping our economy afloat and families out of poverty."
The anna machine is not the first pot vending machine to appear in Colorado. A vending machine with cameras to check customer IDs was introduced in Eagle-Vail in 2014. The Zazz machine was produced by American Green and installed in a dispensary in Avon, Colo.


upi--2020-08-17--Canadian Football League cancels 2020 season due to coronavirus

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- The Canadian Football League canceled its 2020 season Monday because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
The league , which developed preliminary plans for a shortened season based in Winnipeg inside a bubble environment , pledged to return next year .
`` Our league governors decided today it is in the best long-term interests of the CFL to concentrate on the future , '' league commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a statement .
`` We are absolutely committed to 2021 , to the future of our league and the pursuit of our vision of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CFL . ''
The CFL reached its decision after a series of Canadian government regulations that effectively eliminated the league 's main source of revenue -- ticket sales .
The regulations also would have made it difficult for players based in the United States to travel to Canada .
Ambrosie said the league would have taken `` significant financial losses '' if it played a season during the pandemic .
`` Even with additional support , our owners and community-held teams would have had to endure significant financial losses to play in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , the losses would be so large that they would really hamper our ability to bounce back strongly next year and beyond .
The most important thing is the future of our league . ''
The CFL joins the XFL and two major American college conferences -- the Big Ten and the Pac-12 -- in canceling or postponing its 2020 football seasons due to the COVID-19 outbreak .
The XFL was sold earlier this month in bankruptcy proceedings and could return as early as next year .
The NFL has started its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on track to begin its 2020 season next month .

Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The Canadian Football League canceled its 2020 season Monday because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The league, which developed preliminary plans for a shortened season based in Winnipeg inside a bubble environment, pledged to return next year.
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"Our league governors decided today it is in the best long-term interests of the CFL to concentrate on the future," league commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a statement. "We are absolutely committed to 2021, to the future of our league and the pursuit of our vision of a bigger, stronger, more global CFL."
The CFL reached its decision after a series of Canadian government regulations that effectively eliminated the league's main source of revenue -- ticket sales. The regulations also would have made it difficult for players based in the United States to travel to Canada.
Ambrosie said the league would have taken "significant financial losses" if it played a season during the pandemic.
"Even with additional support, our owners and community-held teams would have had to endure significant financial losses to play in 2020," Ambrosie said. "Without it, the losses would be so large that they would really hamper our ability to bounce back strongly next year and beyond. The most important thing is the future of our league."
Advertisement The #CFL announces that there will not be a shortened season played this fall. FULL STATEMENT | https://t.co/iq4JNXU20p pic.twitter.com/OE4R4AHZdQ— CFL (@CFL) August 17, 2020
The CFL joins the XFL and two major American college conferences -- the Big Ten and the Pac-12 -- in canceling or postponing its 2020 football seasons due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The XFL was sold earlier this month in bankruptcy proceedings and could return as early as next year.
The NFL has started its third week of training camp and is on track to begin its 2020 season next month.


upi--2020-08-17--More than 3 million homes in California to lose power in rolling blackouts

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- The manager of California 's power grid said an estimated 3.3 million homes and businesses in the state are likely to lose power amid rolling blackouts .
Steve Berberich , chief executive of the California Independent System Operator said that the rolling blackouts , entering their third night , could begin as early as 4 p.m. and last about six hours with outages being most widespread at about 7 p.m .
The state experienced blackouts on Friday and Saturday nights in a Stage 3 emergency affecting hundreds of thousands of households and businesses amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Death Valley on Sunday afternoon .
The state is facing diminished imports of power due to the heatwave , Berberich said .
`` I truly , truly wish there were other options , '' said Berberich .
`` We 're going to do everything we can to narrow that gap . ''
Berberich announced his decision to retire in February , but the CAISO has not found his replacement yet .
John Phipps , the CAISO 's director of real-time operations , said another large blackout is likely Tuesday as the agency faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom called for an investigation into the blackouts , saying he learned they would be taking place `` moments '' before they began .
`` These blackouts which occurred without warning or enough time for preparation , are unacceptable and unbefitting of the nation 's largest and most innovative state , '' Newsom wrote in a letter to CAISO , the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission .
Newsom criticized the operators of the electrical grids , saying they were `` caught flat-footed '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and provide adequate warning to the public .
`` Collectively , energy regulators failed to anticipate this event and to take necessary actions to ensure reliable power to Californians , '' Newsom said .
`` This can not stand . ''

California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for an investigation as more than 3.3 million homes and businesses in California are expected to lose power in the third night of rolling blackouts amid record heat in Death Valley. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The manager of California's power grid said an estimated 3.3 million homes and businesses in the state are likely to lose power amid rolling blackouts. Steve Berberich, chief executive of the California Independent System Operator said that the rolling blackouts, entering their third night, could begin as early as 4 p.m. and last about six hours with outages being most widespread at about 7 p.m. Advertisement
The state experienced blackouts on Friday and Saturday nights in a Stage 3 emergency affecting hundreds of thousands of households and businesses amid record temperatures of 130 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley on Sunday afternoon.
The state is facing diminished imports of power due to the heatwave, Berberich said.
"I truly, truly wish there were other options," said Berberich. "We're going to do everything we can to narrow that gap." Berberich announced his decision to retire in February, but the CAISO has not found his replacement yet.
John Phipps, the CAISO's director of real-time operations, said another large blackout is likely Tuesday as the agency faces a deficit of 4,4000 megawatts on Monday afternoon.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for an investigation into the blackouts, saying he learned they would be taking place "moments" before they began.
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"These blackouts which occurred without warning or enough time for preparation, are unacceptable and unbefitting of the nation's largest and most innovative state," Newsom wrote in a letter to CAISO, the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission.
Newsom criticized the operators of the electrical grids, saying they were "caught flat-footed" and ultimately unable to avert the blackouts and provide adequate warning to the public.
"Collectively, energy regulators failed to anticipate this event and to take necessary actions to ensure reliable power to Californians," Newsom said. "This cannot stand."


upi--2020-08-17--UNC Chapel Hill cancels in-person learning after 130 students test positive first week

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- The Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced that all in-person classes would shift to remote learning after more than 130 students tested positive for COVID-19 and 349 were placed in quarantine .
After one week of classes , the rate of positive cases at the 30,000-student flagship school spiked to 13.6 % from 2.8 % at the campus health system , a letter from the Kevin Guskiewicz , UNC chancellor and Robert Blouin , provost , said .
Of the 954 students tested this week , 117 have been put in isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` So far , we have been fortunate that most students who have tested positive have demonstrated mild symptoms , '' the letter said .
As of Wednesday , students will begin online classes and students may move out of the school dorms with no financial penalty , the letter said .
Students who have hardships such as those with no Internet service at home or international students will be allowed to remain in the dorms .
Four new COVID-19 clusters were reported in the first week at UNC , popping up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house , the Herald Sun reported Monday .
A cluster is defined as five or more cases in one living setting .
The university has reported 324 confirmed cases consisting of 279 students and 45 staff members since February .
No other campuses in the UNC system will be affected , but that could change quickly , administrators said .
`` The current data presents an untenable situation .
As we have always said , the health and safety of our campus community are paramount , and we will continue to modify and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrators said .
Union employees sued the administration Aug. 10 alleging the university was putting housekeepers , professors and other staff at risk .
The UE150 , N.C. Public Service Workers Union tweeted Monday that the university `` gambled that they could contain a spread until tuition bills were locked in and lost miserably , '' adding that the decision to move classes online came `` entirely too late . ''
`` It is time for an off-ramp , '' wrote UNC health administrator Barbara Rimer who noted that after only one week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the university did not have control over the off-campus behavior of some students .
`` We have tried to make this work , but it is not working , '' Rimer added .
At other universities around the country , students and administrators were preparing for COVID-19 spikes .
At Oklahoma State University , in Stillwater , 23 members of the Pi Beta Phi sorority house were quarantined after testing positive for the virus last week .
OSU students were tested before they moved into residence halls and the school found 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Only one sorority resident was displaying symptoms .
The entire building will be deep cleaned , the administration said .
`` This was expected , '' Monica Roberts , a university spokeswoman said .
`` When you bring back 20,000 students , there will invariably be more cases related to campus . ''
She said the university had been preparing for the possibility of clusters of infections for five months .
Classes started Monday at OSU .
At the University of North Georgia , social media videos showed off-campus students at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Dahlonega Saturday night with few wearing masks .
`` We are disappointed that many of our students chose to ignore COVID-19 public health guidance by congregating in a large group without social distancing or face coverings , '' Sylvia Carson UNG 's director of communications said in a statement .
`` Everyone has an individual responsibility both on and off campus to follow guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the CDC to prevent the spread of the virus . ''
The Big Ten and Pac-12 sports conferences announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be postponed nationwide due to COVID-19 .
Other public university systems , such as the University of California , have announced that all classes will be taught online at least for the first semester .

Campus health departments are testing students for COVID-19 as some U.S. universities prepare to open for in-person classes this week. File Photo by Sarah Silbiger/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced that all in-person classes would shift to remote learning after more than 130 students tested positive for COVID-19 and 349 were placed in quarantine. After one week of classes, the rate of positive cases at the 30,000-student flagship school spiked to 13.6% from 2.8% at the campus health system, a letter from the Kevin Guskiewicz, UNC chancellor and Robert Blouin, provost, said. Advertisement
Of the 954 students tested this week, 117 have been put in isolation and 349 are quarantined, administrators said.
"So far, we have been fortunate that most students who have tested positive have demonstrated mild symptoms," the letter said.
As of Wednesday, students will begin online classes and students may move out of the school dorms with no financial penalty, the letter said. Students who have hardships such as those with no Internet service at home or international students will be allowed to remain in the dorms.
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Four new COVID-19 clusters were reported in the first week at UNC, popping up at dorms, apartments and a fraternity house, the Herald Sun reported Monday. A cluster is defined as five or more cases in one living setting. The university has reported 324 confirmed cases consisting of 279 students and 45 staff members since February.
No other campuses in the UNC system will be affected, but that could change quickly, administrators said.
"The current data presents an untenable situation. As we have always said, the health and safety of our campus community are paramount, and we will continue to modify and adapt our plan when necessary," administrators said.
Union employees sued the administration Aug. 10 alleging the university was putting housekeepers, professors and other staff at risk.
The UE150, N.C. Public Service Workers Union tweeted Monday that the university "gambled that they could contain a spread until tuition bills were locked in and lost miserably," adding that the decision to move classes online came "entirely too late."
"It is time for an off-ramp," wrote UNC health administrator Barbara Rimer who noted that after only one week of campus operations, clusters were growing and the university did not have control over the off-campus behavior of some students.
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"We have tried to make this work, but it is not working," Rimer added.
At other universities around the country, students and administrators were preparing for COVID-19 spikes.
At Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater, 23 members of the Pi Beta Phi sorority house were quarantined after testing positive for the virus last week. OSU students were tested before they moved into residence halls and the school found 22 cases, The Daily Oklahoman reported Sunday. Only one sorority resident was displaying symptoms. The entire building will be deep cleaned, the administration said.
"This was expected," Monica Roberts, a university spokeswoman said. "When you bring back 20,000 students, there will invariably be more cases related to campus."
She said the university had been preparing for the possibility of clusters of infections for five months. Classes started Monday at OSU.
At the University of North Georgia, social media videos showed off-campus students at a massive party at a private apartment complex in Dahlonega Saturday night with few wearing masks.
"We are disappointed that many of our students chose to ignore COVID-19 public health guidance by congregating in a large group without social distancing or face coverings," Sylvia Carson UNG's director of communications said in a statement. "Everyone has an individual responsibility both on and off campus to follow guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the CDC to prevent the spread of the virus."
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The Big Ten and Pac-12 sports conferences announced that college fall sports, including football, would be postponed nationwide due to COVID-19.
Other public university systems, such as the University of California, have announced that all classes will be taught online at least for the first semester.


upi--2020-08-17--Dallas Cowboys' Gerald McCoy out for season due to ruptured quad

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Gerald McCoy ruptured his right quadriceps tendon during practice and will have season-ending surgery , the team announced Monday .
McCoy , a six-time Pro Bowl selection , suffered the injury just minutes into the Cowboys ' first padded practice of training camp .
According to the team , he was injured during individual drills and was unable to put any weight on his leg .
`` That 's why you have to have a deep roster , '' Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters Monday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everson Griffen .
You never know when things like this are going to happen .
It 's certainly disappointing .
`` First and foremost we 're disappointed for Gerald .
I know he was fired up about being here .
But also , it 's disappointing for us .
He was one of our major acquisitions here in the off-season and free agency .
But having said that , this will give Trysten Hill and [ Neville ] Gallimore an opportunity to really step up now . ''
The Cowboys signed McCoy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this off-season and viewed him as a key part of their defensive line .
Dallas also added Aldon Smith , Dontari Poe and Everson Griffen , who has yet to practice with the team but has cleared the NFL 's COVID-19 testing protocol .
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected McCoy with the No .
3 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma .
He spent his first nine seasons in Tampa Bay before joining the Carolina Panthers last season .
McCoy has missed more than three games in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career .
He has recorded 334 total tackles , 59.5 sacks , six forced fumbles , four fumble recoveries and 23 passes defensed in 139 career games .

Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Gerald McCoy ruptured his right quadriceps tendon during practice and will have season-ending surgery, the team announced Monday.
McCoy, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, suffered the injury just minutes into the Cowboys' first padded practice of training camp. According to the team, he was injured during individual drills and was unable to put any weight on his leg.
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"That's why you have to have a deep roster," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters Monday. "Obviously why you sign a guy like Everson Griffen. You never know when things like this are going to happen. It's certainly disappointing.
"First and foremost we're disappointed for Gerald. I know he was fired up about being here. But also, it's disappointing for us. He was one of our major acquisitions here in the off-season and free agency. But having said that, this will give Trysten Hill and [Neville] Gallimore an opportunity to really step up now."
#DallasCowboys DT Gerald McCoy suffers season-ending injury Advertisement Breaking News | @LGUS— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 17, 2020
The Cowboys signed McCoy to a three-year, $18 million contract earlier this off-season and viewed him as a key part of their defensive line. Dallas also added Aldon Smith, Dontari Poe and Everson Griffen, who has yet to practice with the team but has cleared the NFL's COVID-19 testing protocol.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected McCoy with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma. He spent his first nine seasons in Tampa Bay before joining the Carolina Panthers last season.
McCoy has missed more than three games in a single season only once in his professional career. He has recorded 334 total tackles, 59.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 23 passes defensed in 139 career games.


upi--2020-08-17--Trump approves Iowa disaster declaration following derecho damage

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump on Monday approved Iowa Gov .
Kim Reynolds ' request for a major disaster declaration after a powerful derecho tore through the state last week .
Reynolds requested nearly $ 4 billion in federal aid Sunday to help the state recover from the storm that tore through the Midwest United States , leaving hundreds of thousands of Iowans without power and damaging millions of acres of crops .
`` From cities to farms , Iowans are hurting , many still have challenges with shelter , food and power , '' Reynolds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our DNA , but we 're going to need a strong and timely federal response to support recovery efforts . ''
During a press conference Monday , Reynolds said that Trump would travel to Iowa to tour storm damage on Tuesday after approving the declaration .
`` Just approved ( and fast ) the FULL Emergency Declaration for the Great State of Iowa , '' Trump wrote on Twitter Monday .
`` They got hit hard by record-setting winds . ''
Reynolds estimated that 8,273 homes were destroyed or sustained major damage in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 10 million acres of crops , including 43 % of the state 's corn and soybean yields .
The Iowa National Guard said 2 million pounds of debris have been removed from 68 blocks in Cedar Rapids .
More than 300,000 people were without power in the immediate aftermath of the storm and 67,917 outages persisted on Monday , according to poweroutage.us .
Representatives from Alliant Energy said crews are replacing 2,500 power poles and pledged to restore powers to 90 % of its customers by Tuesday .
Reynolds on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be a long road that will amount to `` more than just flipping a switch . ''
`` As we 've had the opportunity to drive around , there just are not words to describe the devastation we have witnessed , '' she said .

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday announced that President Donald Trump will visit the state Tuesday to survey damage from a powerful derecho after approving a $4 billion disaster declaration. Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Monday approved Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' request for a major disaster declaration after a powerful derecho tore through the state last week. Reynolds requested nearly $4 billion in federal aid Sunday to help the state recover from the storm that tore through the Midwest United States, leaving hundreds of thousands of Iowans without power and damaging millions of acres of crops. Advertisement
"From cities to farms, Iowans are hurting, many still have challenges with shelter, food and power," Reynolds wrote Sunday. "Resilience is in our DNA, but we're going to need a strong and timely federal response to support recovery efforts."
During a press conference Monday, Reynolds said that Trump would travel to Iowa to tour storm damage on Tuesday after approving the declaration.
"Just approved (and fast) the FULL Emergency Declaration for the Great State of Iowa," Trump wrote on Twitter Monday. "They got hit hard by record-setting winds."
Reynolds estimated that 8,273 homes were destroyed or sustained major damage in the storm.
The derecho also flattened more than 10 million acres of crops, including 43% of the state's corn and soybean yields.
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The Iowa National Guard said 2 million pounds of debris have been removed from 68 blocks in Cedar Rapids.
More than 300,000 people were without power in the immediate aftermath of the storm and 67,917 outages persisted on Monday, according to poweroutage.us.
Representatives from Alliant Energy said crews are replacing 2,500 power poles and pledged to restore powers to 90% of its customers by Tuesday.
Reynolds on Monday said that recovering from the storm damage would be a long road that will amount to "more than just flipping a switch."
"As we've had the opportunity to drive around, there just are not words to describe the devastation we have witnessed," she said.


upi--2020-08-17--Toronto police agree to $12.5M settlement for mass arrests at G-20

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- Ten years after mass-arrests in Toronto at the 2010 G20 economic summit , the Toronto Police Services Board will pay a $ 12.5 million ( U.S. ) settlement to members of a class-action lawsuit of 1,100 people who were arrested and held by police during protests .
Those arrested will be entitled to payments between $ 3,780 and $ 81,700 and their criminal records for the arrests will be expunged , according to the settlement .
`` When these events happened many Canadians could not believe they happened in Canada .
The settlement appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledgements and reforms that they should n't have happened and will never happen again , '' Eric Gillespie , the lawyer leading the case , told CBC .
The agreement also commits to changing the way protesters are treated by the Toronto police .
One of the claimants , Tommy Taylor , told the Toronto Star the settlement felt `` surreal '' after 10 years of legal negotiations .
Thousands protested when the G20 Economic Summit was held in Toronto in June of 2010 .
While most protesters were peaceful , at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and police arrested hundreds of people .
At the time , Ontario Province Premier Dalton McGuinty admitted under questioning his government secretly gave police more authority to in the fortified zone where the summit was held , guarding a security fence around the perimeter that led to a `` police vacuum , '' investigators said .
Ninety-seven officers and 39 arrestees were injured , and at least 40 shops were vandalized , causing $ 500,000 worth of damage .
Several officers were accused of excessive force and assault of protesters .
Lawsuit plaintiffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 51-year-old office administrator , filed suit in 2010 , but the courts only approved class-action status in 2016 .
`` I 'm just an ordinary person .
I 'm not an organizer , I 'm not an activist , '' Good said in 2010 .
`` I just feel that what happened to me and to hundreds of others was very wrong . ''
Good and 250 others were netted by police in a technique known as `` kettling '' when they were encircled by a wall of police officers .
Good and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four hours with no access to food or toilets , the lawsuit alleged .

| License Photo After a ruling in a 10-year class action suit, the Toronto Police Services Board will pay a settlement of $12.5 million to protesters who were corralled and abused by police during the G20 summit in June, 2010. File Photo by Alex Volgin/UPI
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Ten years after mass-arrests in Toronto at the 2010 G20 economic summit, the Toronto Police Services Board will pay a $12.5 million (U.S.) settlement to members of a class-action lawsuit of 1,100 people who were arrested and held by police during protests. Those arrested will be entitled to payments between $3,780 and $81,700 and their criminal records for the arrests will be expunged, according to the settlement. Advertisement
"When these events happened many Canadians could not believe they happened in Canada. The settlement appears to fairly recognize through financial compensation, acknowledgements and reforms that they shouldn't have happened and will never happen again," Eric Gillespie, the lawyer leading the case, told CBC.
The agreement also commits to changing the way protesters are treated by the Toronto police.
One of the claimants, Tommy Taylor, told the Toronto Star the settlement felt "surreal" after 10 years of legal negotiations.
Thousands protested when the G20 Economic Summit was held in Toronto in June of 2010. While most protesters were peaceful, at least four police cars were set on fire and police arrested hundreds of people.
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At the time, Ontario Province Premier Dalton McGuinty admitted under questioning his government secretly gave police more authority to in the fortified zone where the summit was held, guarding a security fence around the perimeter that led to a "police vacuum," investigators said.
Ninety-seven officers and 39 arrestees were injured, and at least 40 shops were vandalized, causing $500,000 worth of damage. Several officers were accused of excessive force and assault of protesters.
Lawsuit plaintiffs, led by Sherry Good, a 51-year-old office administrator, filed suit in 2010, but the courts only approved class-action status in 2016.
"I'm just an ordinary person. I'm not an organizer, I'm not an activist," Good said in 2010. "I just feel that what happened to me and to hundreds of others was very wrong."
Good and 250 others were netted by police in a technique known as "kettling" when they were encircled by a wall of police officers. Good and others were held in the rain for four hours with no access to food or toilets, the lawsuit alleged.


upi--2020-08-17--Submarine tender USS Emory S. Land arrives for maintenance in California

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land arrived in California Monday for maintenance after a nearly eight-month deployment with the U.S. 7th Fleet .
The ship will spend 150 days in port at Mare Island Dry Dock in Vallejo , Calif. , for a regular overhaul through an awarded contract of $ 33.5 million , the Navy said .
It arrived several hours late on Monday , but was welcomed by several hundred people waiting at the waterfront while temperatures hovered in triple digits , with occasional rain .
`` I hope everyone gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with their families , '' Spec .
3rd Class Karinna Hampton , one of about 300 sailors , with about 150 civilian maritime workers , aboard the 649-foot long ship , said in a Navy statement .
`` I think of how small we are compared to the ship when I see it .
I think of all the protection the United States gets , '' observer Ricardo Martinez told the Times-Herald after the 649-foot long ship arrived , with about 300 sailors and about 150 civilian maritime workers aboard .
`` Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'This is the definition of U.S. protection in America , ' '' Martinez said .
The ship departed Guam , and completed a 14-day sequester period to guard against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic , before arriving in California .
In 2019 and 2020 is was deployed to the Indo-Pacific theater of operations , and visited seven allied countries for training and repair missions .
`` Our deployment was a huge success , '' said Capt .
Michael Luckett , the ship 's commanding officer .
`` We demonstrated our ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The USS Emory S. Land is one of two submarine tenders in the Navy .
The ship , and the USS Frank Cable , are both normally stationed in Guam .
They provide maintenance , logistic support and other services to the Navy 's forward-deployed submarine fleet .

Sailors aboard the USS Emory S. Land man the rails as the ship arrived on Monday at Mare Island Dry Dock in California, after a nearly eight-month deployment. Photo by MCS3 Zachary Grooman/U.S. Navy
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land arrived in California Monday for maintenance after a nearly eight-month deployment with the U.S. 7th Fleet. The ship will spend 150 days in port at Mare Island Dry Dock in Vallejo, Calif., for a regular overhaul through an awarded contract of $33.5 million, the Navy said. Advertisement
It arrived several hours late on Monday, but was welcomed by several hundred people waiting at the waterfront while temperatures hovered in triple digits, with occasional rain.
"I hope everyone gets a much needed break, back stateside with their families," Spec. 3rd Class Karinna Hampton, one of about 300 sailors, with about 150 civilian maritime workers, aboard the 649-foot long ship, said in a Navy statement.
"I think of how small we are compared to the ship when I see it. I think of all the protection the United States gets," observer Ricardo Martinez told the Times-Herald after the 649-foot long ship arrived, with about 300 sailors and about 150 civilian maritime workers aboard.
"Then I see the ship and I say, 'This is the definition of U.S. protection in America,'" Martinez said.
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The ship departed Guam, and completed a 14-day sequester period to guard against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, before arriving in California.
In 2019 and 2020 is was deployed to the Indo-Pacific theater of operations, and visited seven allied countries for training and repair missions.
"Our deployment was a huge success," said Capt. Michael Luckett, the ship's commanding officer. "We demonstrated our ability to conduct vital evolutions with our partners."
The USS Emory S. Land is one of two submarine tenders in the Navy.
The ship, and the USS Frank Cable, are both normally stationed in Guam. They provide maintenance, logistic support and other services to the Navy's forward-deployed submarine fleet.


upi--2020-08-17--U.S. may see 30-fold rise in extreme heat exposure by 2100, models say

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- Humans living in the United States will experience a 30-fold increase in exposure to extreme temperatures by the year 2100 , according to an analysis published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
To help local leaders and policy makers better prepare for the impacts of heatwaves and cold spells , scientists at Arizona State University set out to quantify human exposure to extreme temperatures during 21st century .
It 's not the first time researchers have measured the impacts of climate change on temperature extremes in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of the first to look at how urban development and population changes , in addition to greenhouse gas emissions , influence exposure to extreme temperatures .
`` What was missing in our prior research was a human element , one directly tied to the climate results , '' study co-author Matei Georgescu , an associate professor at Arizona State and a senior scientist at the Global Institute of Sustainability , told UPI in an email .
If temperatures rise dramatically in the middle of a desert , but no one is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , does it matter ?
It does n't , Georgescu said , if one 's goal is to understand human exposure to temperature extremes .
`` This work was particularly focused on communicating impacts that people experience , '' he said .
The work was also focused on identifying the drivers of humans exposure to temperature extremes .
Georgescu and his colleagues wanted to better understand the influence of the built environment and human movement patterns , and how people in different places experience temperature extremes .
`` As we know , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfortable to its residents , but that same temperature may seem harsh to another city 's residents , '' Georgescu said .
A mild day in Scottsdale might inspire residents in Fargo to crank up the air conditioning , for example .
Likewise , on a 90 degree day , the dry heat of Reno feels less punishing than the humid heat of New York City .
To quantify the experiences of extreme weather in Fargo , Scottsdale and elsewhere , researchers used the metric person-hours .
If 10 people are exposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's 100 person-hours .
Quantifying human exposure to extreme temperatures can help policy makers prepare for -- and potentially prevent -- negative impacts on human health and infrastructure , like local power grids .
`` For example , you will recall the Northeast Blackout of 2003 that affected some 50 million residents during the hottest time of the year , '' Georgescu said .
`` The entire Northeast was in the dark , but more importantly , essential services , including air conditioning and transportation , were no longer available . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influences human exposure to extreme temperatures , the major drivers are greenhouse gas emissions and population trends .
This means that humans will be exposed to extreme temperatures the most in places where both temperatures and populations are rising .
In absolute numbers , the obvious cities like New York , Los Angeles and Atlanta will see the largest increase in person-hours exposure .
The largest relative changes in person-hours related to heat exposure will be seen in Sun Belt cities , such as Austin , Texas , and Orlando , Florida .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more fatalities each year than extreme heat , but as temperatures continue to rise and more people move south and west , Georgescu expects the pendulum to swing the other way .
But that does n't mean the dangers of extreme cold will go away .
Some cities , including Denver , are expected to experience an increase in human exposure to extreme heat and extreme cold in the coming decades .
In total , by the end of the century , models suggest people in the United States will experience between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extreme temperature exposure .
Moving forward , Georgescu and his colleagues plan to fine tune their models to provide local policy makers with more precise predictions .
Researchers also hope to figure out how these changes in extreme temperature exposure translate to mortality outcomes .
They also want to help identify solutions , he said .
`` The immediate next step is to characterize how these heat-health impacts may be reduced with commonly proposed thermal adaptation strategies such as cool and green roofs , street trees and incorporation of other engineered materials , @ @ @ @

A girl cools off at a fan in 2018 in New York City on the fourth straight day temperatures had topped 90 degrees. Researchers say climate change could cause extreme heat exposure to increase 30-fold by the end of the century. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Humans living in the United States will experience a 30-fold increase in exposure to extreme temperatures by the year 2100, according to an analysis published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. To help local leaders and policy makers better prepare for the impacts of heatwaves and cold spells, scientists at Arizona State University set out to quantify human exposure to extreme temperatures during 21st century. Advertisement
It's not the first time researchers have measured the impacts of climate change on temperature extremes in the United States. The study, however, is one of the first to look at how urban development and population changes, in addition to greenhouse gas emissions, influence exposure to extreme temperatures.
"What was missing in our prior research was a human element, one directly tied to the climate results," study co-author Matei Georgescu, an associate professor at Arizona State and a senior scientist at the Global Institute of Sustainability, told UPI in an email.
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If temperatures rise dramatically in the middle of a desert, but no one is there to feel the relentless midday sun, does it matter? It doesn't, Georgescu said, if one's goal is to understand human exposure to temperature extremes.
"This work was particularly focused on communicating impacts that people experience," he said.
The work was also focused on identifying the drivers of humans exposure to temperature extremes. Georgescu and his colleagues wanted to better understand the influence of the built environment and human movement patterns, and how people in different places experience temperature extremes.
"As we know, a particular temperature in one city may seem comfortable to its residents, but that same temperature may seem harsh to another city's residents," Georgescu said.
A mild day in Scottsdale might inspire residents in Fargo to crank up the air conditioning, for example. Likewise, on a 90 degree day, the dry heat of Reno feels less punishing than the humid heat of New York City.
To quantify the experiences of extreme weather in Fargo, Scottsdale and elsewhere, researchers used the metric person-hours. If 10 people are exposed to extreme temperatures for 10 hours, that's 100 person-hours.
Quantifying human exposure to extreme temperatures can help policy makers prepare for -- and potentially prevent -- negative impacts on human health and infrastructure, like local power grids.
Advertisement
"For example, you will recall the Northeast Blackout of 2003 that affected some 50 million residents during the hottest time of the year," Georgescu said. "The entire Northeast was in the dark, but more importantly, essential services, including air conditioning and transportation, were no longer available."
The new research showed that while urban development influences human exposure to extreme temperatures, the major drivers are greenhouse gas emissions and population trends. This means that humans will be exposed to extreme temperatures the most in places where both temperatures and populations are rising.
In absolute numbers, the obvious cities like New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta will see the largest increase in person-hours exposure. The largest relative changes in person-hours related to heat exposure will be seen in Sun Belt cities, such as Austin, Texas, and Orlando, Florida.
CDC data suggests extreme cold is responsible for more fatalities each year than extreme heat, but as temperatures continue to rise and more people move south and west, Georgescu expects the pendulum to swing the other way.
But that doesn't mean the dangers of extreme cold will go away. Some cities, including Denver, are expected to experience an increase in human exposure to extreme heat and extreme cold in the coming decades.
Advertisement
In total, by the end of the century, models suggest people in the United States will experience between 66 billion and 154 billion person-hours of extreme temperature exposure.
Moving forward, Georgescu and his colleagues plan to fine tune their models to provide local policy makers with more precise predictions. Researchers also hope to figure out how these changes in extreme temperature exposure translate to mortality outcomes.
They also want to help identify solutions, he said.
"The immediate next step is to characterize how these heat-health impacts may be reduced with commonly proposed thermal adaptation strategies such as cool and green roofs, street trees and incorporation of other engineered materials," Georgescu said.


upi--2020-08-17--NSAID painkillers less harmful, just as effective as opioid drugs, studies show

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , or NSAIDs , are just as effective as opioids at reducing pain from common injuries like strains and sprains , two analyses published Monday by the Annals of Internal Medicine found .
People taking NSAIDs also are less likely to experience the potentially harmful risks associated with opioid use , including abuse and addiction , researchers from McMaster University in Canada said .
The findings come as the United States is still dealing with an `` opioid epidemic '' fueled by misuse and abuse of used prescribed pain medications , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are many treatment options available for addressing acute pain from musculoskeletal injuries , only a limited number of pharmacologic options are currently supported by moderate-to-high certainty evidence , '' study co-author Dr. Jason Busse told UPI .
`` Specifically , topical NSAIDs [ and ] oral NSAIDs ... show the most convincing and attractive benefit-harm ratio , and no opioid provided benefit greater than that of NSAIDs , '' said Busse , an associate professor of anesthesia at McMaster .
Despite the risks associated with opioid use , some 25 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prescribed these drugs , Busse said .
For the first of their new studies , which focused on the scope of opioid prescribing , Busse and his colleagues reviewed data from 13 other studies with 13.3 million participants .
Twenty-seven percent of people in `` high-risk '' populations , such as those with histories of substance use disorders , were prescribed opioids following acute injuries , compared to 6 % of those in the general population , the data showed .
Older adults and those with underlying health problems were also more likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain relievers .
In the second study , the researchers reviewed data from 207 clinical trials with a total of 33,000 participants that evaluated 45 therapies .
Among the injuries of participants in these trials were sprains , whiplash , muscle strains , non-surgical fractures and contusions .
Topical NSAIDs -- the researchers did not identify specific drugs -- as well as oral NSAIDs and acetaminophen had the `` most convincing and attractive benefit-to-harm ratio '' -- based on pain relief , physical function , side effects and patient satisfaction -- for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two studies `` informed '' new recommendations for treating musculoskeletal injuries pain management that appear in the same issue of Annals of Internal Medicine , Busse said .
`` [ Our ] findings support avoiding prescription of opioids for acute pain from non-low back musculoskeletal injuries , '' he said .
`` Patients can use the findings from our review to decline the use of opioids for [ these injuries ] . ''

NSAIDs are as effective, and less harmful, than opioids following sprains and strains, a new analysis finds. Photo by Stefano Ferrario/Pixabay
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are just as effective as opioids at reducing pain from common injuries like strains and sprains, two analyses published Monday by the Annals of Internal Medicine found. People taking NSAIDs also are less likely to experience the potentially harmful risks associated with opioid use, including abuse and addiction, researchers from McMaster University in Canada said. Advertisement
The findings come as the United States is still dealing with an "opioid epidemic" fueled by misuse and abuse of used prescribed pain medications, according to the researchers.
"Although there are many treatment options available for addressing acute pain from musculoskeletal injuries, only a limited number of pharmacologic options are currently supported by moderate-to-high certainty evidence," study co-author Dr. Jason Busse told UPI.
"Specifically, topical NSAIDs [and] oral NSAIDs ... show the most convincing and attractive benefit-harm ratio, and no opioid provided benefit greater than that of NSAIDs," said Busse, an associate professor of anesthesia at McMaster.
Despite the risks associated with opioid use, some 25% of people who suffer acute ankle sprains are prescribed these drugs, Busse said.
For the first of their new studies, which focused on the scope of opioid prescribing, Busse and his colleagues reviewed data from 13 other studies with 13.3 million participants.
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Twenty-seven percent of people in "high-risk" populations, such as those with histories of substance use disorders, were prescribed opioids following acute injuries, compared to 6% of those in the general population, the data showed.
Older adults and those with underlying health problems were also more likely to engage in prolonged use of opioid pain relievers.
In the second study, the researchers reviewed data from 207 clinical trials with a total of 33,000 participants that evaluated 45 therapies. Among the injuries of participants in these trials were sprains, whiplash, muscle strains, non-surgical fractures and contusions.
Topical NSAIDs -- the researchers did not identify specific drugs -- as well as oral NSAIDs and acetaminophen had the "most convincing and attractive benefit-to-harm ratio" -- based on pain relief, physical function, side effects and patient satisfaction -- for people with acute pain.
The findings from the two studies "informed" new recommendations for treating musculoskeletal injuries pain management that appear in the same issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, Busse said.
"[Our] findings support avoiding prescription of opioids for acute pain from non-low back musculoskeletal injuries," he said. "Patients can use the findings from our review to decline the use of opioids for [these injuries]."


upi--2020-08-17--Postmaster General agrees to testify before Congress on controversial changes to service

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has agreed to testify next week about controversial changes to service amid mail-in voting and a pandemic , House Democrats said Monday .
Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform , said in a statement Monday that DeJoy , a former Republican Party fundraiser and ally of President Donald Trump appointed in May , has agreed to testify before the committee on Aug. 24 .
Robert Duncan , chair of the USPS Board of Governors , has also agreed to testify .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will be live streamed .
`` I 'm pleased that the Postmaster General will testify voluntarily before the Oversight Committee on Monday about the sweeping operational and organizational changes he has been making to the Postal Service , '' Maloney said in the statement .
`` I also look forward to receiving his production of documents and other information by this Friday . ''
Maloney and other high-ranking congressional Democrats requested the documents in a 10-page letter Friday .
President Donald Trump told FOX News on Thursday that he objected to USPS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic because of his opposition to mail-in voting .
Though later Thursday , Trump said he would support a $ 25 billion stimulus for USPS if Democrats give Republicans what they want .
Congressional Democrats in the 10-page letter noted that he also told NPR that he was objecting to the boost in USPS funding for the same reason .
On Friday , the Washington Post was first to report that the USPS had warned that some mail-in ballots might not be counted in time for the November election .
Changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service 's sorting machines , prompting concern among rank-and-file postal workers that slowdowns due to increasing demand amid the pandemic could worsen .
The USPS warning came ahead of DeJoy 's appointment , but House Democrats have pressured him to rescind his directives over concerns about mail slowdowns .
DeJoy has said that existing delays were `` unintended consequences '' of his efficiency moves and `` discipline '' he was bringing to the agency .
The Democratic-led House passed the USPS request for $ 25 billion to expand service amid the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the Republican-led Senate refused to consider it .
`` The American people want their mail , medicines , and mail-in ballots delivered in a timely way , and they certainly do not want drastic changes and delays in the midst of a global pandemic just months before the election , '' Maloney said Monday .
House Democratic leaders also announced on a call with their caucus Monday morning that they will call the chamber back to Washington Saturday to vote on legislation to block recent USPS changes .
On Sunday , House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return to session this week to vote for a bill to prevent the Trump administration from implementing changes to the USPS , accusing Trump of attempting to sabotage November 's general election .
Last week USPS began removing mail boxes as part of its sweeping changes , prompting critics , such as former Vice President Joe Biden , to accuse the agency of trying to suppress mail-in voting .
By Friday , a U.S .
Postal Service spokesman said the agency would stop removing the boxes until after Election Day .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered Trump 's re-election campaign to produce evidence of vote-by-mail fraud in the state after it sued to ban drop boxes for mail ballots at county election offices , CNN reported .

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has agreed to testify on Aug. 24 before Congress over his changes to the U.S. Postal Service. File Photo by Sarah Silbiger/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has agreed to testify next week about controversial changes to service amid mail-in voting and a pandemic, House Democrats said Monday. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, said in a statement Monday that DeJoy, a former Republican Party fundraiser and ally of President Donald Trump appointed in May, has agreed to testify before the committee on Aug. 24. Robert Duncan, chair of the USPS Board of Governors, has also agreed to testify. The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. and will be live streamed. Advertisement
"I'm pleased that the Postmaster General will testify voluntarily before the Oversight Committee on Monday about the sweeping operational and organizational changes he has been making to the Postal Service," Maloney said in the statement. "I also look forward to receiving his production of documents and other information by this Friday."
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Maloney and other high-ranking congressional Democrats requested the documents in a 10-page letter Friday.
President Donald Trump told FOX News on Thursday that he objected to USPS' request for $25 billion amid the COVID-19 pandemic because of his opposition to mail-in voting. Though later Thursday, Trump said he would support a $25 billion stimulus for USPS if Democrats give Republicans what they want.
Congressional Democrats in the 10-page letter noted that he also told NPR that he was objecting to the boost in USPS funding for the same reason.
On Friday, the Washington Post was first to report that the USPS had warned that some mail-in ballots might not be counted in time for the November election.
Changes include decommissioning 10 percent of the Postal Service's sorting machines, prompting concern among rank-and-file postal workers that slowdowns due to increasing demand amid the pandemic could worsen.
The USPS warning came ahead of DeJoy's appointment, but House Democrats have pressured him to rescind his directives over concerns about mail slowdowns. DeJoy has said that existing delays were "unintended consequences" of his efficiency moves and "discipline" he was bringing to the agency.
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The Democratic-led House passed the USPS request for $25 billion to expand service amid the COVID-19 pandemic in relief legislation three months ago, but the Republican-led Senate refused to consider it.
"The American people want their mail, medicines, and mail-in ballots delivered in a timely way, and they certainly do not want drastic changes and delays in the midst of a global pandemic just months before the election," Maloney said Monday.
House Democratic leaders also announced on a call with their caucus Monday morning that they will call the chamber back to Washington Saturday to vote on legislation to block recent USPS changes.
On Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the House to return to session this week to vote for a bill to prevent the Trump administration from implementing changes to the USPS, accusing Trump of attempting to sabotage November's general election.
Last week USPS began removing mail boxes as part of its sweeping changes, prompting critics, such as former Vice President Joe Biden, to accuse the agency of trying to suppress mail-in voting. By Friday, a U.S. Postal Service spokesman said the agency would stop removing the boxes until after Election Day.
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On Thursday, a federal judge in Pennsylvania ordered Trump's re-election campaign to produce evidence of vote-by-mail fraud in the state after it sued to ban drop boxes for mail ballots at county election offices, CNN reported.


upi--2020-08-17--Virginia woman's thirst leads to $500,000 lottery jackpot

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- A Virginia woman said her desire for an energy drink after cleaning out her @ @ @ @ @ a $ 500,000 lottery jackpot .
Stephanie Blanco of Virginia Beach told Virginia Lottery officials @ @ @ @ @ car after a trip to the beach and decided to reward herself with an energy @ @ @ @ @ 7-Eleven store in Virginia Beach to purchase her beverage and a 100X The Money scratch-off @ @ @ @ @ turned out to be a $ 500,000 top prize winner .
Blanco said she plans @ @ @ @ @ buy a house and take care of her family .

A Virginia woman said her desire for an energy drink after cleaning out her car led to her winning a $500,000 lottery jackpot. Photo courtesy of the Virginia Lottery
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A Virginia woman said her desire for an energy drink after cleaning out her car led to her winning a $500,000 lottery jackpot. Stephanie Blanco of Virginia Beach told Virginia Lottery officials she finished cleaning out her car after a trip to the beach and decided to reward herself with an energy drink. Advertisement
Blanco visited the 7-Eleven store in Virginia Beach to purchase her beverage and a 100X The Money scratch-off lottery ticket.
The ticket turned out to be a $500,000 top prize winner.
Blanco said she plans to use her winnings to buy a house and take care of her family.


upi--2020-08-17--Nasdaq hits new record as tech stocks rise, S&P 500 misses all-time high again

Aug. 17 ( UPI ) -- The Nasdaq Composite hit an intraday high to start the week behind strong performances by tech stocks , while the S & P 500 failed to achieve a record high despite slight gains .
The Nasdaq increased 1 % at the end of trading on Monday , while the S & P 500 gained 0.27 % remaining short of its Feb. 19 record close of 3,386.15 .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average , however , fell 85.57 points -- or 0.31 % -- to end the day .
Amazon stock rose 1.09 % to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google 's parent company , Alphabet , traded 0.77 % higher and Microsoft gained 0.66 % .
The S & P 500 's consumer discretionary sector rose 1.2 % to lead the market higher , while the materials sector gained 0.4 % .
Boeing stock fell 3.4 % and American Express stock dropped 2.85 % , contributing to the Dow 's decline .
Markets were also impacted by Republicans and Democrats in Congress indicating that they remain separated on a deal for another round of coronavirus stimulus and disagreements over funding the U.S @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for state and local governments and enhanced unemployment aid remain the most contentious issues , funding for the USPS ahead of mail-in voting has emerged as a new issue , '' Mark Hackett , CEO of investment research at Nationwide , said , according to MarketWatch .
`` While the S & P 500 is within 1 % of the all-time high from February , several attempts last week to break through to a new high failed , '' Hackett said .
`` With earnings season largely over and fiscal stimulus unlikely for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a catalyst to help markets overcome technical resistance . ''

The Nasdaq Composite rose 1% Monday to hit a new record, while the S&P 500 fell short of it's all-time high again and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The Nasdaq Composite hit an intraday high to start the week behind strong performances by tech stocks, while the S&P 500 failed to achieve a record high despite slight gains. The Nasdaq increased 1% at the end of trading on Monday, while the S&P 500 gained 0.27% remaining short of its Feb. 19 record close of 3,386.15. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, fell 85.57 points -- or 0.31% -- to end the day. Advertisement
Amazon stock rose 1.09% to help lead the Nasdaq higher, while Google's parent company, Alphabet, traded 0.77% higher and Microsoft gained 0.66%.
The S&P 500's consumer discretionary sector rose 1.2% to lead the market higher, while the materials sector gained 0.4%.
Boeing stock fell 3.4% and American Express stock dropped 2.85%, contributing to the Dow's decline.
Markets were also impacted by Republicans and Democrats in Congress indicating that they remain separated on a deal for another round of coronavirus stimulus and disagreements over funding the U.S. Postal Service.
"While aid for state and local governments and enhanced unemployment aid remain the most contentious issues, funding for the USPS ahead of mail-in voting has emerged as a new issue," Mark Hackett, CEO of investment research at Nationwide, said, according to MarketWatch.
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"While the S&P 500 is within 1% of the all-time high from February, several attempts last week to break through to a new high failed," Hackett said. "With earnings season largely over and fiscal stimulus unlikely for at least a month, markets lack a catalyst to help markets overcome technical resistance."