usatoday--2020-10-26--Opinion: Cardinals had every reason to lose to Seahawks but didn't. Maybe that's a sign of growth.

The Arizona Cardinals weren ’ t searching for an identity Sunday night against the Seattle Seahawks .
Instead , they needed to prove the ID they were carrying — one belonging to a contender for the playoffs and NFC West title — was authentic .
As running back Chase Edmonds said after the game , you know Seattle is going to be playing in the offense , so `` this is one of those games where you find out how real are we ? ''
The answer is fairly real , I think .
Maybe .
No , the defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against a good opponent .
Yes , a young quarterback tends to make bad throws at the worst possible time .
Both those things can happen , and can be overcome as the Cardinals proved by Sunday night .
Nothing about the Cardinals ' 37-34 overtime victory was textbook , unless you are studying chaos theory .
TAKEAWAYS:32 things we learned from Week 7 of the 2020 NFL season The Cardinals spent the last few minutes of the game snatching victory from the jaws of defeat , then shoving it back into those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would happen .
One of the great mysteries of life , sporting life anyway , is how football coaches can work 70-plus hours a week and still make so many bad decisions .
How else do you explain Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury deciding to kick a 41-yard field goal in overtime Sunday night against Seattle on second down ?
After his team had rushed for 47 yards on three plays against a tired defense ?
With nearly three minutes left ?
Then calling a timeout and making the same decision all over again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the office at 5 a.m. and stay until most of the rest of us are in bed ?
Zane Gonzalez missed , of course , giving the Seahawks a chance to win .
But in keeping with a bizarre night at State Farm Stadium , the unexpected happened .
Rookie linebacker Isaiah Simmons , the first-round pick who plays only a handful more snaps on defense than a landscaper , intercepted a pass from Russell Wilson , who was having an MVP season before Sunday night .
So , just like Kingsbury drew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field goal position again .
Gonzalez made this one , a 48-yarder with 15 seconds left , giving the Cardinals a 37-34 victory .
`` A complete debacle '' is how Kingsbury described the penultimate field goal attempt .
`` It was as bad a coaching job as possible . ''
Not many would argue .
It was a head-scratching moment from Kingsbury , but it should n't overshadow how far he 's led the Cardinals in less than two years on the job .
They already have one of the best offenses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappointing first half , the defense limited Seattle to a touchdown in the second half .
`` Pretty impressive , '' Kingsbury said of that performance .
So what does the victory mean for the Cardinals ?
A more pleasant week off , for sure .
More importantly , it 's validation that the preseason love shown them by prognosticators and pundits might be deserved .
The Cardinals came back from a 10-point deficit at halftime to tie the game with a field goal by Gonzalez on the last play of regulation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) in touch with Seattle ( 5-1 ) in the NFC West .
And it broke a seven-year streak of failing to beat the Seahawks in Glendale .
Nothing about that game was easy .
In the first half , the Cardinals defense provided no more than an occasional speed bump for the Seahawks to navigate .
And by the time that group found themselves in the second half , it was second-year quarterback Kyler Murray who couldn ’ t seem deliver .
The Cardinals shut out the Seahawks in the third quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to within 27-24 as the fourth began .
When cornerback Patrick Peterson intercepted a pass from Russell Wilson in the end zone early in the fourth quarter , the Cardinals were in business .
But on the next play , the doors of that business were shuttered .
Murray lobbed a pass in the general direction of receiver Andy Isabella , and the Seahawks intercepted .
It was a critical mistake , and the Seahawks pounced .
The Cardinals made them work for it , but Seattle turned it into a touchdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left .
It ’ s the kind of mistake Murray will grow out of .
He already has .
He did it Sunday night by moving the Cardinals into scoring position time and again in tight situations .
Kingsbury 's decision in overtime was n't the only controversial decision he made Sunday night , just the worst .
Had not the shenanigans late in the game occurred , much would have been made about Kingsbury ’ s decision to go for it on 4th-and-goal from the Seattle 3 in the second quarter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gap to 13-10 .
It was a worthwhile risk because the Cardinals have been successful in the red zone and on fourth down all year .
Seattle entered the game ranked last in the NFL in yardage allowed but was scoring an average of almost 34 points a game .
`` You 're not going to beat that team with field goals , '' Kingsbury said .
The play selections , three runs and an incomplete pass , can be criticized , as can the lack of creativity .
But everything looks worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real damage was done after Murray 's incomplete pass on fourth down .
It took just six plays for the Seahawks to “ drive ” 97 yards and score a touchdown to go ahead 20-7 .
Drive is a strong very because it hints that struggle was involved .
It was not .
The Seahawks had gains of 34 , 28 and 24 yards in the possession .
It was the theme of the first half .
Seattle gained at least 10 yards on 14 plays , including three of more than 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throw from Wilson to Tyler Lockett , who caught the ball in the end zone beyond cornerback Patrick Peterson and Baker .
The Cardinals started slowly , which has become a weekly habit .
The Seahawks went 75 yards in six plays for a touchdown on their first possession .
And the Cardinals countered with a dropped pass , a false start , a completion for no gain , and a missed block that resulted in a two yard loss .
They found firm ground for a bit , and when Murray hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cardinals trailed only 10-7 .
The game flipped on a trade of turnovers in the second quarter .
Hopkins lost a fumble at the Cardinals 31-yard line , but five plays later safety Budda Baker intercepted at the 2 and had nothing but immaculate lawn ahead of him .
But behind him was Seattle receiver D.K .
Metcalf , who tracked Baker down and tackled him at the Seahawks 8 .
That ’ s when Kingsbury ’ s decision-making became key .
The Cardinals entered the game ranked second in the NFL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They had not been stopped inside the opponent ’ s 10-yard , nor on fourth down .
Both things happened on the next series .
Three runs netted just 5 yards .
On the second one , Murray handed off on a read option , and it appeared he had a touchdown had he kept it .
Kingsbury , as he had successfully done all season , went for it on fourth down .
But Murray never had a receiver open and threw the ball away after exhausting all other options .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ better in the second half than the first .
It was enough to stay close to a good team .
It was enough to beat them in overtime .
But it did n't have to be that hard .
Maybe this off-week , Kingsbury should focus on getting some much-needed sleep .
Reach Kent Somers at Kent.Somers @ gannett.com .
Follow him on twitter @ kentsomers .

Opinion: Cardinals had every reason to lose to Seahawks but didn't. Maybe that's a sign of growth.
Show Caption Hide Caption NFL Week 7 overreactions: Kyler Murray and Cardinals have arrived SportsPulse: The Kliff and Klyer experiment got their first signature victory against Seattle in an instant classic. Mackenzie Salmon overreact to the biggest storylines from Week 7 in the NFL. SportsPulse, USA TODAY
The Arizona Cardinals weren’t searching for an identity Sunday night against the Seattle Seahawks. Instead, they needed to prove the ID they were carrying — one belonging to a contender for the playoffs and NFC West title — was authentic.
As running back Chase Edmonds said after the game, you know Seattle is going to be playing in the offense, so "this is one of those games where you find out how real are we?"
The answer is fairly real, I think. Maybe.
No, the defense hasn't put together a complete game against a good opponent. Yes, a young quarterback tends to make bad throws at the worst possible time.
Both those things can happen, and can be overcome as the Cardinals proved by Sunday night.
Nothing about the Cardinals' 37-34 overtime victory was textbook, unless you are studying chaos theory.
TAKEAWAYS: 32 things we learned from Week 7 of the 2020 NFL season
WEEK 7 WINNERS, LOSERS: Seahawks squander opportunities in first loss
The Cardinals spent the last few minutes of the game snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, then shoving it back into those jaws, apparently just to see what would happen.
One of the great mysteries of life, sporting life anyway, is how football coaches can work 70-plus hours a week and still make so many bad decisions.
Sleep deprivation?
How else do you explain Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury deciding to kick a 41-yard field goal in overtime Sunday night against Seattle on second down? After his team had rushed for 47 yards on three plays against a tired defense? With nearly three minutes left? Then calling a timeout and making the same decision all over again?
This is why you arrive at the office at 5 a.m. and stay until most of the rest of us are in bed?
Zane Gonzalez missed, of course, giving the Seahawks a chance to win. But in keeping with a bizarre night at State Farm Stadium, the unexpected happened.
Rookie linebacker Isaiah Simmons, the first-round pick who plays only a handful more snaps on defense than a landscaper, intercepted a pass from Russell Wilson, who was having an MVP season before Sunday night.
So, just like Kingsbury drew it up, the Cardinals moved into field goal position again. Gonzalez made this one, a 48-yarder with 15 seconds left, giving the Cardinals a 37-34 victory.
"A complete debacle" is how Kingsbury described the penultimate field goal attempt. "It was as bad a coaching job as possible."
Not many would argue. It was a head-scratching moment from Kingsbury, but it shouldn't overshadow how far he's led the Cardinals in less than two years on the job.
They already have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and after a disappointing first half, the defense limited Seattle to a touchdown in the second half. "Pretty impressive," Kingsbury said of that performance.
So what does the victory mean for the Cardinals? A more pleasant week off, for sure. More importantly, it's validation that the preseason love shown them by prognosticators and pundits might be deserved.
The Cardinals came back from a 10-point deficit at halftime to tie the game with a field goal by Gonzalez on the last play of regulation.
The victory keeps the Cardinals (5-2) in touch with Seattle (5-1) in the NFC West. And it broke a seven-year streak of failing to beat the Seahawks in Glendale.
Nothing about that game was easy. In the first half, the Cardinals defense provided no more than an occasional speed bump for the Seahawks to navigate.
And by the time that group found themselves in the second half, it was second-year quarterback Kyler Murray who couldn’t seem deliver.
The Cardinals shut out the Seahawks in the third quarter, and a long touchdown drive pulled them to within 27-24 as the fourth began.
When cornerback Patrick Peterson intercepted a pass from Russell Wilson in the end zone early in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals were in business.
But on the next play, the doors of that business were shuttered. Murray lobbed a pass in the general direction of receiver Andy Isabella, and the Seahawks intercepted.
It was a critical mistake, and the Seahawks pounced. The Cardinals made them work for it, but Seattle turned it into a touchdown to take a 10-point lead with 6:43 left.
It’s the kind of mistake Murray will grow out of. He already has. He did it Sunday night by moving the Cardinals into scoring position time and again in tight situations.
Kingsbury's decision in overtime wasn't the only controversial decision he made Sunday night, just the worst.
Had not the shenanigans late in the game occurred, much would have been made about Kingsbury’s decision to go for it on 4th-and-goal from the Seattle 3 in the second quarter. A field goal would have closed the gap to 13-10.
It was a worthwhile risk because the Cardinals have been successful in the red zone and on fourth down all year. Seattle entered the game ranked last in the NFL in yardage allowed but was scoring an average of almost 34 points a game.
"You're not going to beat that team with field goals," Kingsbury said.
The play selections, three runs and an incomplete pass, can be criticized, as can the lack of creativity. But everything looks worse when it doesn't work.
The real damage was done after Murray's incomplete pass on fourth down.
It took just six plays for the Seahawks to “drive” 97 yards and score a touchdown to go ahead 20-7.
Drive is a strong very because it hints that struggle was involved. It was not. The Seahawks had gains of 34, 28 and 24 yards in the possession.
It was the theme of the first half. Seattle gained at least 10 yards on 14 plays, including three of more than 30. The last was an exquisite 47-yard throw from Wilson to Tyler Lockett, who caught the ball in the end zone beyond cornerback Patrick Peterson and Baker.
The Cardinals started slowly, which has become a weekly habit. The Seahawks went 75 yards in six plays for a touchdown on their first possession. And the Cardinals countered with a dropped pass, a false start, a completion for no gain, and a missed block that resulted in a two yard loss.
They found firm ground for a bit, and when Murray hit DeAndre Hopkins for a 35-yard touchdown, the Cardinals trailed only 10-7.
The game flipped on a trade of turnovers in the second quarter. Hopkins lost a fumble at the Cardinals 31-yard line, but five plays later safety Budda Baker intercepted at the 2 and had nothing but immaculate lawn ahead of him.
But behind him was Seattle receiver D.K. Metcalf, who tracked Baker down and tackled him at the Seahawks 8.
That’s when Kingsbury’s decision-making became key. The Cardinals entered the game ranked second in the NFL in scoring touchdowns in the red zone. They had not been stopped inside the opponent’s 10-yard, nor on fourth down.
Both things happened on the next series.
Three runs netted just 5 yards. On the second one, Murray handed off on a read option, and it appeared he had a touchdown had he kept it.
Kingsbury, as he had successfully done all season, went for it on fourth down. But Murray never had a receiver open and threw the ball away after exhausting all other options.
To their credit, the Cardinals played better in the second half than the first. It was enough to stay close to a good team. It was enough to beat them in overtime.
But it didn't have to be that hard. Maybe this off-week, Kingsbury should focus on getting some much-needed sleep.
Reach Kent Somers at Kent.Somers@gannett.com. Follow him on twitter @kentsomers.


usatoday--2020-10-26--How to wash your phone, disinfecting it during coronavirus pandemic

Every time I get home , I plunk down my bag and beeline straight for the sink where I wash my hands with antibacterial soap and water as hot as I can stand it for at least two rounds of “ Happy Birthday to Me.
” Then I go on a hunt for the smartphone I left somewhere in the bottom of my black-hole of a purse , check it for anything urgent from the last few minutes of life without it in my hand , and then — and only then — go about my day .
Sound familiar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Where ’ s the flaw in that system ?
Americans check their phones nearly 100 times a day — at least once every 10 minutes — and touch it an average of 2,617 times during waking hours , according to one study .
That ’ s a whole lot of chances for some gross germy thing to hop , skip , or jump from your smartphone to your skin ( or worse , straight into your mouth ) .
Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our smartphones are like a third hand , failing to wash them regularly is an enormous flaw in an otherwise solid infection-prevention scheme .
But how do you properly sanitize a phone without damaging it ?
You can ’ t really run it under hot soapy water ten times a day — unless it ’ s this new Cat S42 ( $ 300 ) phone that you can actually run under hot soapy water as often as you want .
These rugged phones — out of the same company that makes bulldozers — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be submerged and scrubbed with water or disinfectant , according to the company .
What the Cat phones have in drop-spill-and-shock features , though , they lack in photo , video , gaming , streaming and all the other drool-worthy tech-specs we love most about our high-end smartphones .
And anyone who ’ s ever dropped their handset into a tub or toilet , or forgot it was in their pocket and jumped into the water ( yes , I ’ ve done all three , more than once ) , knows you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The simplest way to sanitize your smartphone In the past , I recommended a 50-50 DIY concoction of isopropyl alcohol and water , sprayed on one of those soft microfiber cloths that come with a lot of your gadgets .
We now know the mixture has to be at least 70 % alcohol for it to disinfect touch screens .
Other than that , this is still one of the best ways to sanitize your smartphone , case , earbuds , gaming controls and everything else you touch all the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disinfecting Wipes now too , according to Apple ’ s updated instructions .
All gadget makers and sellers warn not to use bleach , paper towels , or anything abrasive on your smartphone and say you should also unplug all external power sources , devices and cables .
In addition , don ’ t spray anything directly onto your device , and be extra careful not to get any moisture into any openings .
If you don ’ t mind adding one more gadget to your day-to-day cleaning routine , UV light cleaners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , promise to clean-up — and charge up — your phone at the same time .
The company claims their device kills 99.99 % of germs and bacteria — and they ’ re not the only ones .
Mophie ( $ 79.95 ) Castify ( $ 120 ) , Doctor ’ s Choice ( $ 100 ) , EVLA ( $ 160 ) , and many others promise to add a layer of protection between you and all that icky stuff living on your phone .
But does it work ?
We think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA says UVC radiation “ has effectively been used for decades to reduce the spread of bacteria , such as tuberculosis.
” The site says UCV light could be an excellent way to kill COVID-19 , but there ’ s no way to know for sure yet because “ there is limited published data about the wavelength , dose and duration of UVC radiation required to inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
” As long as you don ’ t expose your eyes or skin to the UV light , and use it correctly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added layer of protection .
In my family , we use a combination of the PhoneSoap 3 and a little bit of elbow grease to wipe the phone down a few times a day .
Just be sure to do your homework before you buy a particular gadget making all kinds of incredible claims , and take a look at USA Today ’ s deep-dive into the risks and benefits of UV light too .
Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY 's digital video show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ techish.com .
Follow her on Twitter @ JenniferJolly .

How to wash your phone, disinfecting it during coronavirus pandemic
Show Caption Hide Caption Phone tips: How to extend your battery life Here are tips to keep your phone from overheating. ProblemSolved, USA TODAY
Every time I get home, I plunk down my bag and beeline straight for the sink where I wash my hands with antibacterial soap and water as hot as I can stand it for at least two rounds of “Happy Birthday to Me.” Then I go on a hunt for the smartphone I left somewhere in the bottom of my black-hole of a purse, check it for anything urgent from the last few minutes of life without it in my hand, and then — and only then — go about my day.
Sound familiar? Now think like an epidemiologist. Where’s the flaw in that system?
Americans check their phones nearly 100 times a day — at least once every 10 minutes — and touch it an average of 2,617 times during waking hours, according to one study. That’s a whole lot of chances for some gross germy thing to hop, skip, or jump from your smartphone to your skin (or worse, straight into your mouth).
Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of disease, according to the CDC. Since our smartphones are like a third hand, failing to wash them regularly is an enormous flaw in an otherwise solid infection-prevention scheme.
Wash, rinse and repeat?
But how do you properly sanitize a phone without damaging it? You can’t really run it under hot soapy water ten times a day — unless it’s this new Cat S42 ($300) phone that you can actually run under hot soapy water as often as you want.
These rugged phones — out of the same company that makes bulldozers — are designed for extremes. It can be submerged and scrubbed with water or disinfectant, according to the company.
What the Cat phones have in drop-spill-and-shock features, though, they lack in photo, video, gaming, streaming and all the other drool-worthy tech-specs we love most about our high-end smartphones. And anyone who’s ever dropped their handset into a tub or toilet, or forgot it was in their pocket and jumped into the water (yes, I’ve done all three, more than once), knows you can’t just scrub it down.
The simplest way to sanitize your smartphone
In the past, I recommended a 50-50 DIY concoction of isopropyl alcohol and water, sprayed on one of those soft microfiber cloths that come with a lot of your gadgets. We now know the mixture has to be at least 70% alcohol for it to disinfect touch screens. Other than that, this is still one of the best ways to sanitize your smartphone, case, earbuds, gaming controls and everything else you touch all the time.
You can also use something like Clorox Disinfecting Wipes now too, according to Apple’s updated instructions.
All gadget makers and sellers warn not to use bleach, paper towels, or anything abrasive on your smartphone and say you should also unplug all external power sources, devices and cables. In addition, don’t spray anything directly onto your device, and be extra careful not to get any moisture into any openings.
UV light cleaners
If you don’t mind adding one more gadget to your day-to-day cleaning routine, UV light cleaners like PhoneSoap 3 ($79.95), promise to clean-up — and charge up — your phone at the same time. The company claims their device kills 99.99% of germs and bacteria — and they’re not the only ones. Mophie ($79.95) Castify ($120), Doctor’s Choice ($100), EVLA ($160), and many others promise to add a layer of protection between you and all that icky stuff living on your phone.
But does it work? We think so.
On its website, the FDA says UVC radiation “has effectively been used for decades to reduce the spread of bacteria, such as tuberculosis.” The site says UCV light could be an excellent way to kill COVID-19, but there’s no way to know for sure yet because “there is limited published data about the wavelength, dose and duration of UVC radiation required to inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”
As long as you don’t expose your eyes or skin to the UV light, and use it correctly, it can’t hurt as an added layer of protection. In my family, we use a combination of the PhoneSoap 3 and a little bit of elbow grease to wipe the phone down a few times a day. Just be sure to do your homework before you buy a particular gadget making all kinds of incredible claims, and take a look at USA Today’s deep-dive into the risks and benefits of UV light too.
Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY's digital video show TECH NOW. Email her at jj@techish.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenniferJolly.


usatoday--2020-10-26--Russia never stopped trying to sway elections and sow mistrust. Best thing to do is vote.

Last week , 12 days before the presidential election , the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency alerted the public that Russia had targeted dozens of government and aviation networks , including some housing voter information , and had successfully stolen data from at least two servers .
This breach should certainly raise alarm bells , but it comes as no surprise to the disinformation community .
Both the Mueller report and federal indictments detail how Russia has been systematically targeting voter information for years , including in 2016 when it attacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government computer systems in Florida and Illinois .
While political parties argue over whether or not Russian interference occurred in 2016 , Russian influence operations have proceeded unchecked : Russia has used botnets to propagate false information , launched coordinated disinformation operations , and developed a network of fake journalists for hire to write articles critical of former Vice President Joe Biden .
And those are just the things we know about publicly .
By sowing seeds of doubt in the American populace , nation-state actors like Russia further magnify political divides , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermining our national security .
While there is still much more that needs to be done to stop foreign interference in our elections , the United States has taken some steps to prevent a repeat of 2016 .
During the 2018 midterm elections , U.S. Cyber Command ran a campaign to try to keep Russian trolls off the internet .
Within the last month , America has taken action against the Russian intelligence agency , the GRU , and worked to take down Russian-operated social media accounts .
However , like the CISA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the bucket against a relentless adversary taking advantage of effective tactics that cost little to employ and result in little or no consequences .
Federal agencies maintain that votes were never changed in previous hacking attempts , but just the perception that Russia has interfered will go a long way in advancing the narrative that we can not trust election results .
This narrative is a favorite of the Russian state-run media , which have enthusiastically amplified the false claims by President Donald Trump asserting that the election is “ rigged ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bubble : We 're launching an election-season ad campaign to fight fake news , and we need your help Foreign or domestic , any infringement upon Americans ’ right to vote poses a risk to us all : Our democracy depends on the ability of voters to access the truth .
Right now , false narratives , conspiracies and misinformation online are rampant at a scale we have never seen before .
I recently testified before the House Intelligence Committee , where I stated that I have seen an across-the-board failure to combat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result , and no doubt inspired by Russian efforts , more countries than ever are targeting our infrastructure vulnerabilities to advance both their domestic and foreign policy goals .
This includes China and Iran .
These foreign actors are actively targeting political divisions in this country to manipulate and influence U.S. citizens and to degrade America ’ s standing on the world stage while discrediting our institutions .
Real people can solve this problem : I 'm a former CIA analyst trained to spot fake news .
Here 's how you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media algorithms that delivered false information to those most likely to believe it in 2016 are working against voters today .
We must be vigilant to protect ourselves from domestic and international efforts to undermine our democracy with disinformation .
No one is coming to save us .
Over the next few weeks , we will no doubt see more nefarious attempts to influence voters and sow distrust in election results , but the best thing that we can do as Americans is vote .
Voters must understand that they will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps to verify information , and read skeptically so that they do not fall for and spread disinformation .
Cindy L. Otis , a disinformation expert and former CIA analyst , is vice president of analysis at Alethea Group , a senior nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council ’ s Digital Forensic Research Lab , a member of USA TODAY 's Board of Contributors and author of “ True or False : A CIA Analyst ’ s Guide to Spotting Fake News.
” Follow her on Twitter at @ CindyOtis_

Russia never stopped trying to sway elections and sow mistrust. Best thing to do is vote. Federal agencies say votes were not changed in previous Russian hacks, but just the perception advances Trump's false claim that 2020 is rigged against him.
Show Caption Hide Caption How Russian interference could affect the 2020 election, too Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election and helped Donald Trump win. We look back at history and ask: Will they do it again? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Last week, 12 days before the presidential election, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency alerted the public that Russia had targeted dozens of government and aviation networks, including some housing voter information, and had successfully stolen data from at least two servers.
This breach should certainly raise alarm bells, but it comes as no surprise to the disinformation community. Both the Mueller report and federal indictments detail how Russia has been systematically targeting voter information for years, including in 2016 when it attacked voter equipment manufacturers and hacked into county-level government computer systems in Florida and Illinois.
While political parties argue over whether or not Russian interference occurred in 2016, Russian influence operations have proceeded unchecked: Russia has used botnets to propagate false information, launched coordinated disinformation operations, and developed a network of fake journalists for hire to write articles critical of former Vice President Joe Biden.
And those are just the things we know about publicly.
Russia is a relentless adversary
By sowing seeds of doubt in the American populace, nation-state actors like Russia further magnify political divides, targeting our nation’s vulnerabilities and undermining our national security.
While there is still much more that needs to be done to stop foreign interference in our elections, the United States has taken some steps to prevent a repeat of 2016. During the 2018 midterm elections, U.S. Cyber Command ran a campaign to try to keep Russian trolls off the internet. Within the last month, America has taken action against the Russian intelligence agency, the GRU, and worked to take down Russian-operated social media accounts. However, like the CISA alert, these efforts are mere drops in the bucket against a relentless adversary taking advantage of effective tactics that cost little to employ and result in little or no consequences.
Federal agencies maintain that votes were never changed in previous hacking attempts, but just the perception that Russia has interfered will go a long way in advancing the narrative that we cannot trust election results. This narrative is a favorite of the Russian state-run media, which have enthusiastically amplified the false claims by President Donald Trump asserting that the election is “rigged” against him.
Break out of your bubble: We're launching an election-season ad campaign to fight fake news, and we need your help
Foreign or domestic, any infringement upon Americans’ right to vote poses a risk to us all: Our democracy depends on the ability of voters to access the truth. Right now, false narratives, conspiracies and misinformation online are rampant at a scale we have never seen before.
Protect yourself from fake news
I recently testified before the House Intelligence Committee, where I stated that I have seen an across-the-board failure to combat foreign interference in our elections. As a result, and no doubt inspired by Russian efforts, more countries than ever are targeting our infrastructure vulnerabilities to advance both their domestic and foreign policy goals.
This includes China and Iran. These foreign actors are actively targeting political divisions in this country to manipulate and influence U.S. citizens and to degrade America’s standing on the world stage while discrediting our institutions.
Real people can solve this problem: I'm a former CIA analyst trained to spot fake news. Here's how you can do it, too.
The same social media algorithms that delivered false information to those most likely to believe it in 2016 are working against voters today. We must be vigilant to protect ourselves from domestic and international efforts to undermine our democracy with disinformation. No one is coming to save us.
Over the next few weeks, we will no doubt see more nefarious attempts to influence voters and sow distrust in election results, but the best thing that we can do as Americans is vote. Voters must understand that they will be targeted by disinformation, take the necessary steps to verify information, and read skeptically so that they do not fall for and spread disinformation.
Cindy L. Otis, a disinformation expert and former CIA analyst, is vice president of analysis at Alethea Group, a senior nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors and author of “True or False: A CIA Analyst’s Guide to Spotting Fake News.” Follow her on Twitter at @CindyOtis_


usatoday--2020-10-21--Veterans safely reunite with family

Veterans safely reunite with family

North Carolina State Veterans Home-Salisbury made sure to take every necessary precaution for a safe and much-needed day of family @ @

Veterans safely reunite with family
North Carolina State Veterans Home-Salisbury made sure to take every necessary precaution for a safe and much-needed day of family visits.
Militarykind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-10-26--Trump greets trick-or-treaters at White House without a mask

Trick-or-treaters received their candy before filing past President Trump and the first lady .

Trump doesn't wear mask while greeting trick-or-treaters at White House
Trick-or-treaters received their candy before filing past President Trump and the first lady.
Associated Press, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-10-26--Election 2020 live updates: Trump returns to Pennsylvania as Senate takes Supreme Court vote

President Donald Trump will make three campaign stops in Pennsylvania on Monday as his campaign tries to chip away at former Vice President Joe Biden 's polling lead in the Keystone State .
Trump narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2016 , but USA TODAY 's polling average has Biden leading Trump by 5.4 points there just over a week before Election Day .
Both campaigns have their eyes on Pennsylvania .
Trump gave a rally there last week , former President Barack Obama was in Philadelphia on Wednesday and Biden and wife Jill were there on Saturday .
The Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when the Senate is expected to take its final confirmation vote on Amy Coney Barrett .
Vice President Mike Pence , who campaigns in Minnesota on Monday , had planned to preside over the Senate vote , but those plans are `` in flux '' after a recent outbreak of COVID-19 among his staff .
• 'Settle for Biden ' : Not all Biden voters are enthusiastic about their candidate .
The Settle for Biden organization is geared to get young progressives to vote for the Democrat who has run as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and Jared Kushner have threatened to sue the Lincoln Project over ads running in Times Square .
• Who performed better in debate ?
: A majority of registered voters said Biden performed better than Trump in the final debate last week , according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll .
📊 What the polls are saying : Biden is leading Trump in Florida and Pennsylvania , according to a New York Times/Siena College poll released Saturday .
📆 Eight days until Election Day , 86 days until Inauguration Day , 67 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ See USA TODAY 's Voter Guide for information on registering to vote , when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues .
We will update this article throughout the day .
You can follow all of USA TODAY 's politics reporters on Twitter or subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter .
Pence 's plans to preside over Amy Coney Barrett vote 'in flux' Vice President Mike Pence ’ s plans to preside over the Senate ’ s confirmation vote of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the recent outbreak of coronavirus among his inner circle .
`` I think that is in flux , ” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters .
Pence ’ s vote , as president of the Senate , isn ’ t expected to be needed to break a tie .
But Pence has been heavily involved in President Donald Trump ’ s three Supreme Court nominations and he presided over the confirmation votes of Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh .
“ I ’ m gon na be in the chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote for the world , ” Pence said of the final vote for Barrett during a campaign rally in Florida Saturday .
But that was before his office revealed that Marc Short , Pence ’ s chief of staff , had tested positive for COVID-19 .
Other close aides have also contracted the virus .
Pence has not curtailed his public schedule – which includes a campaign trip to Minnesota Monday – because the White House says he is an “ essential worker.
” Pence and second lady Karen Pence again tested negative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office said Monday morning .
Senate Democrats , however , scoffed at the notion and said his presence in the Senate would be a clear violation of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
“ It would also be a violation of common decency and courtesy , ” Democratic leaders wrote in a letter to Pence .
“ Nothing about your presence in the Senate tomorrow can be considered essential.
” Nancy Pelosi says she will seek another speaker term if Democrats keep House House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaker should Democrats keep control of the lower chamber .
When asked whether she would seek reelection in 2021 , Pelosi told CNN `` State of the Union '' host Jake Tapper , `` Yes , I am .
But let me also say , we have to win the Senate . ''
The statement is in line with an agreement Pelosi made when she was elected to the office , which limits her speakership to four years .
Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday that she would vote against Amy Coney Barrett ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Maine Republican the only member of the GOP expected to oppose the federal appeals judge ’ s appointment to the high court .
Collins , who is facing a tough reelection battle , had said for weeks that she opposed the Senate taking up Barrett ’ s nomination before voters have their say on Election Day .
She reiterated her stance on Sunday .
`` Because this vote is occurring prior to the election , I will vote against the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett , '' Collins said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote does not reflect any conclusion that I have reached about Judge Barrett ’ s qualifications to serve on the Supreme Court '' but rather , was about fairness after the Republican majority refused to take up Merrick Garland ’ s nomination by President Barack Obama to the Supreme Court months ahead of the 2016 election .

Election 2020 live updates: Clarence Thomas to swear in ACB; Biden says he won't change SCOTUS lifetime terms
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump says he voted for 'guy named Trump' The US President said he voted "for a guy named Trump" after he cast his ballot in Fla. in early voting in the presidential elections. (Oct. 24) AP
President Donald Trump is back in Pennsylvania on Monday as his campaign tries to chip away at former Vice President Joe Biden's polling lead in the Keystone State.
Trump narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2016, but Biden is now leading Trump by 5.4 points there, according to USA TODAY's polling average.
Both campaigns have their eyes on Pennsylvania. Trump gave a rally there last week, former President Barack Obama was in Philadelphia on Wednesday and Biden and wife Dr. Jill Biden were there on Saturday. Biden returned today to Chester, Pa.
The Supreme Court could get its ninth justice today, when the Senate is expected to take its final confirmation vote on Amy Coney Barrett. Vice President Mike Pence, who campaigns in Minnesota on Monday, had planned to preside over the Senate vote, but those plans are "in flux" after a recent outbreak of COVID-19 among his staff.
☕ The latest:
'Settle for Biden': The Settle for Biden organization urges young progressives to support the centrist as the better, if not ideal, candidate.
The Settle for Biden organization urges young progressives to support the centrist as the better, if not ideal, candidate. Lincoln Project: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have threatened to sue the Lincoln Project over ads running in Times Square.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have threatened to sue the Lincoln Project over ads running in Times Square. Who performed better in debate?: A majority of registered voters said Biden performed better than Trump in the final debate last week, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll.
📊 What the polls are saying: Biden is leading Trump in Florida and Pennsylvania, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll released Saturday.
📆 Eight days until Election Day, 86 days until Inauguration Day, 67 days left in 2020.
Today in #Election2020:
•There are 8 days until Election Day
•Maryland starts early voting
•It's the last day to register to vote in Colorado, Montana and Washington. However, all three states allow in-person registration on Election Day. pic.twitter.com/8lzBL9gA10 — USA TODAY Politics (@usatodayDC) October 26, 2020
🗳 Voting: See USA TODAY's Voter Guide for information on registering to vote, when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues.
We will update this article throughout the day. You can follow all of USA TODAY's politics reporters on Twitter or subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter.
Biden said Monday he wouldn’t try to limit the terms of Supreme Court justices, who serve lifetime appointments.
Biden’s comments came the same day the Senate was expected to confirm federal appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the high court. Biden and other Democrats have argued that the seat should have remained open until after the election, to give voters a voice in the decision.
Trump has accused Biden of wanting to expand the high court to dilute the power of conservative justices. Biden has said if elected, he would appoint a bipartisan commission to study the federal courts for six months and make recommendations about possible changes in filling vacancies.
But at a campaign stop in Chester, Pennsylvania, he told reporters he wouldn’t change the length of terms.
“It’s a lifetime appointment,” Biden said. “I’m not going to attempt to change that at all.”
--Bart Jansen
Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner says the president wants to help Black people succeed but that they have to want to be successful.
“But he can’t want them to be successful more than they want to be successful,” Kushner said on “Fox & Friends” on Monday.
Kushner also criticized people who protested after George Floyd's killing.
“You saw a lot of people who were just virtue signaling – they go on Instagram and cry, or they would, you know, put a slogan on their jersey or write something on a basketball court,” Kushner said. “Quite frankly, that was doing more to polarize the country than it was to bring people forward. You solve problems with solutions.”
Kushner's implication that Black Americans lack a drive to succeed drew criticisms of racism and that he is blind to his own privilege from his family's wealth.
"Born on third base, thinks he hit a triple," said Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va.
--William Cummings
Justice Clarence Thomas is scheduled to swear in new Supreme Court member Amy Coney Barrett at a White House ceremony Monday night following the Senate confirmation vote, an official said.
The White House is planning to hold the event on the South Lawn, with social distancing and masks for guests as precautions against COVID-19, said an official familiar with the planning, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Senate has not yet confirmed Barrett.
After spending the day campaigning in Pennsylvania, Trump is scheduled to return to the White House around 7:40 p.m., right around the time of the Senate vote.
Trump, who took criticism when the nomination ceremony for Amy Coney Barrett became a superspreader of COVID-19, told reporters he wants a more low-key event.
“Not a large event, just a very nice event," Trump said.
More than a dozen people tested positive for COVID-19 – including Trump himself – in the days after the Barrett nomination ceremony on Sept. 26, in large part because guests were packed together in chairs set up in the Rose Garden and many did not wear masks.
"We'll be doing the best we can to encourage as much social distancing as possible," Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said of Monday's event.
A ceremony is not required for Barrett to become a member of the high-court.
– David Jackson
First Lady Melania Trump will make her first major campaign appearance Tuesday in Pennsylvania.
The first lady will speak at an event moderated by former White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway in Atglen, Pennsylvania, as the campaign looks to shore up support among suburban women, a key voting bloc crucial to the president's reelection chances. Last week she scrapped plans to appear with her husband at a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, citing a "lingering cough" from her COVID-19 diagnosis earlier this month.
Melania Trump has shied away from the campaign trail with her last appearance at a rally in June 2019, when the president announced his reelection bid. But the first lady supported her husband's campaign through a keynote speech from the White House Rose Garden at the Republican National Convention in August.
Trump was speaking in Allentown, Lititz and Martinsburg, Pennsylvania on Monday.
– Courtney Subramanian
In the first excerpt released Monday in The New Yorker from his upcoming presidential memoir, "A Promised Land," due Nov. 17, President Barack Obama, 59, recalled his early days in the White House, dealing with the H1N1 pandemic and experiencing resentment and racist comments from fellow politicians and other Americans.
"My instructions to the public-health team were simple: decisions would be made based on the best available science, and we were going to explain to the public each step of our response—including detailing what we did and didn’t know," he wrote.
Fact check: H1N1 spread quickly but COVID-19 more deadly
Obama said that he didn't call out attacks labeling him an animal or Hitler because "I didn’t believe a President should ever publicly whine about criticism from voters—it’s what you signed up for in taking the job—and I was quick to remind both reporters and friends that my white predecessors had all endured their share of vicious personal attacks and obstructionism."
--Hannah Yasharoff
A government ethics office is investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for possible violations of the Hatch Act, a federal law that bars Executive Branch employees from engaging in partisan political activities, according to two House Democrats.
The probe centers on Pompeo’s controversial decision to deliver remarks to the Republican National Convention – even though it was a break in diplomatic protocol and appeared to violate the State Department's own policy barring partisan political activity.
“Our offices have confirmed that the Office of Special Counsel has launched a probe into potential Hatch Act violations tied to Secretary Pompeo’s speech to the Republican National Convention,” Reps. Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Nita Lowey, chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, said in a joint statement Monday.
"It was lawful.': Pompeo defends controversial RNC speech
The Hatch Act is intended to prevent public officials from using their taxpayer-funded office to conduct partisan politics.
“I can confirm that OSC has opened a case file, but am unable to comment beyond that,” said Zachary Kurz, a spokesman for the OSC.
The State Department’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The State Department previously dismissed questions about the ethics of Pompeo’s remarks by saying he was addressing the RNC in his "personal capacity." The agency said no official federal resources were used for the event. But Pompeo made his speech in the middle of an official State Department trip to the Middle East. His speech was recorded and piped in from Israel.
– Deirdre Shesgreen
Pence’s plans to preside over the Senate’s confirmation vote of Barrett were up in the air Monday, following the recent outbreak of coronavirus among his inner circle.
"I think that is in flux,” Meadows told reporters.
Pence’s vote, as president of the Senate, isn’t expected to be needed to break a tie. But Pence has been heavily involved in Trump’s three Supreme Court nominations and presided over the confirmation votes of Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
“I’m gonna be in the chair because I wouldn’t miss that vote for the world,” Pence said during a campaign rally in Florida Saturday.
But that was before his office revealed that Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff, had tested positive for COVID-19. Other close aides have also contracted the virus.
'Totally irresponsible': Dems criticize Pence presiding over Amy Coney Barrett vote after aides contract COVID-19
Pence has not curtailed his public schedule – which includes a campaign trip to Minnesota Monday – because the White House says he is an “essential worker.”
Pence and second lady Karen Pence again tested negative for COVID-19, the vice president's office said Monday morning.
Senate Democrats, however, scoffed at the notion and said his presence in the Senate would be a clear violation of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It would also be a violation of common decency and courtesy,” Democratic leaders wrote in a letter to Pence. “Nothing about your presence in the Senate [Monday] can be considered essential.”
– Maureen Groppe
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that she will run for another term as speaker should Democrats keep control of the lower chamber.
When asked whether she would seek reelection in 2021, Pelosi told CNN "State of the Union" host Jake Tapper, "Yes, I am. But let me also say, we have to win the Senate."
The statement is in line with an agreement Pelosi made when she was elected to the office, which limits her speakership to four years.
– Matthew Brown
Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday that she would vote against Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, making the Maine Republican the only member of the GOP expected to oppose the federal appeals judge’s appointment to the high court.
Collins, who is facing a tough reelection battle, had said for weeks that she opposed the Senate taking up Barrett’s nomination before voters have their say on Election Day. She reiterated her stance on Sunday.
"Because this vote is occurring prior to the election, I will vote against the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett," Collins said in a statement.
She added that her "vote does not reflect any conclusion that I have reached about Judge Barrett’s qualifications to serve on the Supreme Court" but rather, was about fairness after the Republican majority refused to take up Merrick Garland’s nomination by President Barack Obama to the Supreme Court months ahead of the 2016 election.
– Christal Hayes


usatoday--2020-10-26--Voting 2020 live updates: Unprecedented lines at early voting polls in New York; Supreme Court block

Months ago , some questioned whether the U.S. could pull off an election during the height of the coronavirus pandemic .
But despite COVID-19 , early voting is smashing records : North Carolina , Georgia and Michigan , to name a few crucial states , have either surpassed or were approaching 40 % of their overall 2016 turnout , USA TODAY 's Joey Garrison reported earlier this week .
That 's a lot of voters .
A perhaps record number are expected to cast ballots this weekend , either by mail or at early in-person voting sites across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Check our guide . )
As voters head to the polls ahead of the Nov. 3 election , here are important headlines to keep in mind .
If you want a long read : We mailed 64 letters and packages in battleground states to check on mail delays .
Here ’ s what we found .
Know your voting rights : If you encounter intimidation at the polls on Election Day , here 's what to do .
Quick take : Nationwide , states are grappling with legal challenges surrounding voting policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an intervention over rules permitting mail-in ballots to be received 48 hours after the election .
• In Texas and New Jersey , state courts upheld modified election rules — created by state and city legislatures to curb the spread of COVID-19 .
• President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are lawyered up , bracing for an epic post-election legal battle .
And the likely confirmation of Amy Comey Barrett to the Supreme Court is a key piece of chess .
More on this from the Associated Press .
Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it again , trying to interfere in the election .
• Hackers from Russia and Iran are attempting to undermine the election by sending false emails from the far-right , authoritarian group Proud Boys .
• Russian hackers have been coming after various networks in the U.S. since September , the FBI has said .
• When Lillian Rozsa got the so-called Proud Boys email , she said she knew better .
Still , the University of Florida law student said `` it was shocking and scary . ''
Voters are already casting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show 56 million people have voted .
We 're 10 days from Election Day .
USA TODAY is keeping track of what 's happening as voters around the country cast ballots .
Keep refreshing this page for updates .
Worried about voter suppression ?
Lawyers set up national hotline to answer questions about election laws Nearly 24,000 lawyers are volunteering to help voters across the country navigate changes in what has become an unprecedented election cycle .
Organizers of Election Protection , a national coalition of civil rights and voting rights groups , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterm elections .
They ’ re bracing for even more calls as Election Day nears and in the days and weeks following .
The Election Protection hotline ( 866-OUR-VOTE ) is available all year , but calls have ramped up in recent weeks as millions started casting ballots early in some states .
The hotline has received more than 100,000 calls since July , averaging about 7,000 a day , organizers said .
At this point in 2016 , the group had fielded 21,000 calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines at early voting polls in New York On the first day of early voting in New York , people waited on lines that were blocks longs and wrapped around polling places to cast their ballots .
Many were on line hours before the official noon kickoff and waited between two and four hours to vote .
Heidi Chisholm in Yonkers knitted while waiting to vote in front of the Yonkers Public Library .
She said she was there around 11 a.m. and there were already `` several hundred '' people ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every polling place set up for early voting in Westchester and Rockland counties .
President Donald Trump voted Saturday in West Palm Beach , he tweeted Saturday morning .
Officials said earlier this week that he had plans to vote there while campaigning .
It 's the first time an incumbent president cast his vote in Florida .
That is a departure for Trump , who cast absentee ballots in the March presidential primary and then in the Aug. 18 primary election .
Meanwhile , Vice President Mike Pence and his wife , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indianapolis .
They used the absentee ballots they had requested in early September .
Trump casting a vote in Palm Beach County is part of a historic , blockbuster political weekend in Florida .
Trump spoke Friday in The Villages , a conservative community north of Orlando , and in Pensacola .
Pence also stumped in Florida .
On Saturday , former President Barack Obama rallied the Democratic faithful in Miami .
He moved out in 2016 .
Why Mike Pence uses the Indiana governor 's mansion address to vote Michigan ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls upheld The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit has ruled in favor of Michigan 's Republican-led legislature , reinstating the state 's ban on hiring transportation to carry voters to the polls after a state court issued an injunction against the Michigan law .
The law prohibits voter advocacy organizations from paying for transportation to bring voters to the polls and ride-sharing companies such as Lyft and Uber from offering discounted rides to Michigan voters on Election Day .
It does not prohibit volunteers from driving voters to the polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't have to wear masks at the polls Despite Delaware Gov .
John Carney 's requirement that residents wear face coverings in public , mask-less voters will be able to walk into polling places to cast their ballots on Election Day .
Masks are strongly encouraged , but not required when voting .
Elections Commissioner Anthony Albence said the decision was made in consultation with the state Department of Justice .
( Read also : At the polls in New York , Joe2020 hats are a no but BLM shirts and MAGA hats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide the safest environment possible , voting is a fundamental right , Albence said .
He described the rule as `` trying to balance everyone ’ s needs and everyone ’ s concerns . ''
`` We don ’ t deny anyone ’ s right to vote if they don ’ t wear a mask , '' Albence said .
`` We really strongly encourage it .
It is not an absolute requirement . ''
Election problems : What to keep in mind This cheat sheet from Columbia Journalism Review offers tips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Voting problems are n't failures .
They happen every year and , as CJR notes , hiccups such as voting machines not working or polling places opening late do n't mean anything is `` rigged . ''
• Some problems , however , are significant .
CJR recommends the media scrutinize areas that have a history of voter suppression or obstructing minority voters , calling out Georgia as a place to monitor .
• Do n't expect a winner on Election Night .
This year is different because mail-in ballots could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Previously , that number was 3 % -5 % .
It will take a while to tally .
• Seriously , expect to wait .
State vote certification deadlines differ and do n't have to be reported to the federal level until Dec. 8 .
Additionally , the Electoral College doesn ’ t meet until Dec. 14 .
Federal case over where Ohio drop boxes could be installed dismissed After two lawsuits and months of legal arguments , Ohio 's battle over multiple drop boxes is officially over .
Ohio Democrats and voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Multiple courts found Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose , a Republican , could install multiple drop boxes for voters to deposit their ballots .
But he was not required to do so and in the end , LaRose did n't allow off-site drop boxes this election .
On Friday , the federal case disputing where drop boxes could be installed was dismissed , ending a several-month legal fight .
Earlier in the month , a three-judge panel from the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked a ruling that would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots .
How to vote in 2020 ?
This is the best way , according to experts and activists With the election less than two weeks away , voting rights advocates , conservatives and community activists are urging the millions of voters who have n't voted yet to cast their ballots in person at the polls or at absentee ballot drop boxes .
The 2020 election is on track for record voter turnout as the nation battles the COVID-19 pandemic , a fight for racial equality and an economic recession .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But voters , particularly people of color and the elderly , are concerned about the health risk of voting in person and their vote being fairly counted .
People of color are dying of COVID-19 at higher rates than white people .
Voting rights groups have accused Republican lawmakers of suppressing Black and Latino voters with long lines in urban communities and restrictive voter laws while President Donald Trump maintains that mail-in voting is susceptible to fraud .
Read more .

Joshua Bote and Cara Richardson, USA TODAY

Voting 2020 live updates: Unprecedented lines at early voting polls in New York; Supreme Court blocks curbside voting in Alabama
Show Caption Hide Caption Important voting rules you need to know before heading to the polls Voting is important, so there are rules to protect it. Here's what you need to know before you go to vote. USA TODAY
Months ago, some questioned whether the U.S. could pull off an election during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. But despite COVID-19, early voting is smashing records: North Carolina, Georgia and Michigan, to name a few crucial states, have either surpassed or were approaching 40% of their overall 2016 turnout, USA TODAY's Joey Garrison reported earlier this week.
That's a lot of voters. A perhaps record number are expected to cast ballots this weekend, either by mail or at early in-person voting sites across the country. (Need help registering to vote? Check our guide.)
As voters head to the polls ahead of the Nov. 3 election, here are important headlines to keep in mind.
If you want a long read: We mailed 64 letters and packages in battleground states to check on mail delays. Here’s what we found.
Know your voting rights: If you encounter intimidation at the polls on Election Day, here's what to do.
Quick take: Nationwide, states are grappling with legal challenges surrounding voting policies.
The Supreme Court blocked curbside voting in Alabama .
blocked in . North Carolina Republicans are requesting an intervention over rules permitting mail-in ballots to be received 48 hours after the election.
are requesting an intervention over rules permitting mail-in ballots to be received 48 hours after the election. In Texas and New Jersey , state courts upheld modified election rules — created by state and city legislatures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
and , state courts upheld modified election rules — created by state and city legislatures to curb the spread of COVID-19. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are lawyered up, bracing for an epic post-election legal battle. And the likely confirmation of Amy Comey Barrett to the Supreme Court is a key piece of chess. More on this from the Associated Press.
Also at play: Foreign hackers are at it again, trying to interfere in the election.
Hackers from Russia and Iran are attempting to undermine the election by sending false emails from the far-right, authoritarian group Proud Boys.
and are attempting to undermine the election by sending false emails from the far-right, authoritarian group Proud Boys. Russian hackers have been coming after various networks in the U.S. since September , the FBI has said.
have been coming after various networks in the U.S. , the FBI has said. When Lillian Rozsa got the so-called Proud Boys email, she said she knew better. Still, the University of Florida law student said "it was shocking and scary."
Voters are already casting ballots: Numbers compiled by @electproject show 56 million people have voted.
We're 10 days from Election Day. USA TODAY is keeping track of what's happening as voters around the country cast ballots. Keep refreshing this page for updates.
Nearly 24,000 lawyers are volunteering to help voters across the country navigate changes in what has become an unprecedented election cycle. Organizers of Election Protection, a national coalition of civil rights and voting rights groups, said the number of volunteers has quadrupled since the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterm elections. They’re bracing for even more calls as Election Day nears and in the days and weeks following.
The Election Protection hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) is available all year, but calls have ramped up in recent weeks as millions started casting ballots early in some states. The hotline has received more than 100,000 calls since July, averaging about 7,000 a day, organizers said. At this point in 2016, the group had fielded 21,000 calls since January of that year.
– Deborah Barfield Berry
On the first day of early voting in New York, people waited on lines that were blocks longs and wrapped around polling places to cast their ballots. Many were on line hours before the official noon kickoff and waited between two and four hours to vote.
Heidi Chisholm in Yonkers knitted while waiting to vote in front of the Yonkers Public Library. She said she was there around 11 a.m. and there were already "several hundred" people ahead of her.
Long lines were seen at every polling place set up for early voting in Westchester and Rockland counties.
– Christopher J. Eberhart, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
President Donald Trump voted Saturday in West Palm Beach, he tweeted Saturday morning. Officials said earlier this week that he had plans to vote there while campaigning. It's the first time an incumbent president cast his vote in Florida. That is a departure for Trump, who cast absentee ballots in the March presidential primary and then in the Aug. 18 primary election.
Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, cast their ballots Friday in Indianapolis. They used the absentee ballots they had requested in early September.
Trump casting a vote in Palm Beach County is part of a historic, blockbuster political weekend in Florida. Trump spoke Friday in The Villages, a conservative community north of Orlando, and in Pensacola. Pence also stumped in Florida. On Saturday, former President Barack Obama rallied the Democratic faithful in Miami.
– Antonio Fins, The Palm Beach Post and Chris Sikich, Indianapolis Star
He moved out in 2016. Why Mike Pence uses the Indiana governor's mansion address to vote
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit has ruled in favor of Michigan's Republican-led legislature, reinstating the state's ban on hiring transportation to carry voters to the polls after a state court issued an injunction against the Michigan law.
The law prohibits voter advocacy organizations from paying for transportation to bring voters to the polls and ride-sharing companies such as Lyft and Uber from offering discounted rides to Michigan voters on Election Day. It does not prohibit volunteers from driving voters to the polls for free.
– Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press
Despite Delaware Gov. John Carney's requirement that residents wear face coverings in public, mask-less voters will be able to walk into polling places to cast their ballots on Election Day. Masks are strongly encouraged, but not required when voting. Elections Commissioner Anthony Albence said the decision was made in consultation with the state Department of Justice. (Read also: At the polls in New York, Joe2020 hats are a no but BLM shirts and MAGA hats are OK.)
While elections officials want to provide the safest environment possible, voting is a fundamental right, Albence said. He described the rule as "trying to balance everyone’s needs and everyone’s concerns."
"We don’t deny anyone’s right to vote if they don’t wear a mask," Albence said. "We really strongly encourage it. It is not an absolute requirement."
– Sarah Gamard, Delaware News Journal
This cheat sheet from Columbia Journalism Review offers tips for media organizations reporting on Election 2020.
Voting problems aren't failures. They happen every year and, as CJR notes, hiccups such as voting machines not working or polling places opening late don't mean anything is "rigged."
They happen every year and, as CJR notes, hiccups such as voting machines not working or polling places opening late don't mean anything is "rigged." Some problems, however, are significant. CJR recommends the media scrutinize areas that have a history of voter suppression or obstructing minority voters, calling out Georgia as a place to monitor.
CJR recommends the media scrutinize areas that have a history of voter suppression or obstructing minority voters, calling out Georgia as a place to monitor. Don't expect a winner on Election Night . This year is different because mail-in ballots could be as high as 30%. Previously, that number was 3%-5%. It will take a while to tally.
. This year is different because mail-in ballots could be as high as 30%. Previously, that number was 3%-5%. It will take a while to tally. Seriously, expect to wait. State vote certification deadlines differ and don't have to be reported to the federal level until Dec. 8. Additionally, the Electoral College doesn’t meet until Dec. 14.
After two lawsuits and months of legal arguments, Ohio's battle over multiple drop boxes is officially over.
Ohio Democrats and voting rights groups can claim one victory: Multiple courts found Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, could install multiple drop boxes for voters to deposit their ballots.
But he was not required to do so and in the end, LaRose didn't allow off-site drop boxes this election. On Friday, the federal case disputing where drop boxes could be installed was dismissed, ending a several-month legal fight.
Earlier in the month, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked a ruling that would have allowed multiple collection sites for Ohioans' ballots.
– Jessie Balmert, Cincinnati Enquirer
With the election less than two weeks away, voting rights advocates, conservatives and community activists are urging the millions of voters who haven't voted yet to cast their ballots in person at the polls or at absentee ballot drop boxes.
The 2020 election is on track for record voter turnout as the nation battles the COVID-19 pandemic, a fight for racial equality and an economic recession. More than 53 million people have already voted. But voters, particularly people of color and the elderly, are concerned about the health risk of voting in person and their vote being fairly counted.
People of color are dying of COVID-19 at higher rates than white people. Voting rights groups have accused Republican lawmakers of suppressing Black and Latino voters with long lines in urban communities and restrictive voter laws while President Donald Trump maintains that mail-in voting is susceptible to fraud. Read more.
– Nicquel Terry Ellis
Contributing: Associated Press


usatoday--2020-10-27--Amy Coney Barrett takes oath as Supreme Court justice, as GOP celebrates 6-3 conservative majority

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump held a hasty swearing-in ceremony Monday night following the Senate 's confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett , who will become the 115th justice to serve on the Supreme Court Tuesday and immediately get to work .
Just as Senate Republicans whisked Barrett , 48 , through the confirmation process in a month , Trump rushed back from the campaign trail in Pennsylvania for aceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in the midst of a global pandemic .
The event took place near the Rose Garden , where a month earlier the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a crowded settingthat contributed to the spread of COVID-19 , both at the White House and in the Senate .
Associate Justice Clarence Thomas , the longest-serving member of the current court , delivered the constitutional oath of office .
Most of the assembled guests wore masks .
On Tuesday , Chief Justice John Roberts will complete the process by delivering the judicial oath to the court 's newest member .
The ceremony followed the Senate 's 52-48 confirmation vote shortly after 8 p.m. , where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unparalleled ability and temperament . ''
`` I stand here tonight truly honored and humbled , '' Barrett said during the 15-minuteevent , flags draping the White House behind her .
`` This was a rigorous confirmation process . ''
As she did during her confirmation hearing earlier this month , Barrett tried to distance herself and the judiciary from the politics swirling around her nomination and the presidential election .
“ It is the job of a judge to resist her policy preferences .
It would be a dereliction of duty for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said .
Once she takes the judicial oath Tuesday from Roberts , Barrett will become the fifth woman ever to serve on the high court , succeeding the late liberal Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
She will begin work a week before Election Day , participate in her first conference with the other justices Friday , and take her place on the bench for oral arguments next Monday .
That is as Trump wanted .
Throughout the confirmation process , the president had emphasized the importance of having Barrett as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide challenges involving mail-in ballots and other voting procedures .
“ This is a momentous day for America , for the United States Constitution , and for the fair and impartial rule of law , '' Trump said .
Barrett , he said , `` is one of our nation ’ s most brilliant legal scholars.
” The election will be Barrett 's first and most important focus : Petitions challenging voting procedures in Pennsylvania and North Carolina are pending before the high court , which ruled 5-3 along ideological lines Monday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots .
The Pennsylvania dispute returned to the Supreme Court after the justices deadlocked 4-4 last week , leaving in place a Nov. 6 deadline for the receipt of mail-in ballots that Republicans want changed to Nov. 3 .
It 's not unusual for justices to be sworn in during Supreme Court terms , rather than over the summer recess .
Trump 's first two nominees also hit the ground running : Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch began in April 2017 when the court was completing oral arguments for that term , and Associate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a new term had just begun .
Like Barrett , Kavanaugh was sworn in just hours after the Senate 's 50-48 confirmation vote .
Trump congratulated him on Twitter and signed his commission to the Supreme Court aboard Air Force One so Kavanaugh could get to work immediately .
Barrett 's elevation to a lifetime seat on the nation 's highest court has been just as controversial as the others , both for partisan and ideological reasons .
It represents the culmination of conservatives ' decades-long project to win control of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come .
Republicans engineered the process by blocking President Barack Obama from filling conservative Associate Justice Antonin Scalia 's seat in the last year of his presidency , then allowing Trump to fill Ginsburg 's seat while facing an uphill re-election battle .
More : Pack the court ?
Battles between Republicans and Democrats fuel clash over Supreme Court 's future Ginsburg , the leader of the court 's liberal wing who had become a cultural icon in her 80s , died Sept. 18 after battling pancreatic cancer .
Democrats immediately cited McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's nominee as reason to delay action until after the election , to no avail .
The president took advantage of the situation by nominating Barrett , one of the nation 's most conservative federal court judges , who he had placed on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit in 2017 .
Barrett vocally opposed the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide before becoming a judge , wrote a dissenting opinion on the 7th Circuit defending nonviolent felons ' right to own firearms , and criticized Roberts ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in scholarly writings , also before becoming a judge .
She is highly regarded in legal circles , including by some prominent liberals , for her scholarly background as a Notre Dame Law School professor .
She is an acolyte of Scalia , for whom she clerked in the 1990s , and a proponent of interpreting the Constitution and federal statutes as written .
Barrett sailed through her Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this month , deftly refusing to answer even more questions than her predecessors did regarding Supreme Court precedents and issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future .
All 12 Republicans voted to send her nomination to the Senate floor ; all 10 Democrats boycotted the vote .
As the Senate prepared to vote Monday night , Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , issued a warning .
“ The American people will never forget this blatant act of bad faith , '' Schumer said .
`` It will go down as one of the darkest days in the 231-year history of the United States Senate .
”

Richard Wolf and David Jackson, USA TODAY

Amy Coney Barrett takes oath as Supreme Court justice, as GOP celebrates 6-3 conservative majority
Show Caption Hide Caption Amy Coney Barrett confirmed to U.S. Supreme Court ahead of election Amy Coney Barrett was President Donald Trump's third Supreme Court nominee, following Associate Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. USA TODAY, Wochit
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump held a hasty swearing-in ceremony Monday night following the Senate's confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, who will become the 115th justice to serve on the Supreme Court Tuesday and immediately get to work.
Just as Senate Republicans whisked Barrett, 48, through the confirmation process in a month, Trump rushed back from the campaign trail in Pennsylvania for aceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in the midst of a global pandemic.
The event took place near the Rose Garden, where a month earlier the federal appeals court judge from Indiana was introduced in a crowded settingthat contributed to the spread of COVID-19, both at the White House and in the Senate.
Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, the longest-serving member of the current court, delivered the constitutional oath of office. Most of the assembled guests wore masks. On Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts will complete the process by delivering the judicial oath to the court's newest member.
The ceremony followed the Senate's 52-48 confirmation vote shortly after 8 p.m., where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Barrett "a woman of unparalleled ability and temperament."
"I stand here tonight truly honored and humbled," Barrett said during the 15-minuteevent, flags draping the White House behind her. "This was a rigorous confirmation process."
As she did during her confirmation hearing earlier this month, Barrett tried to distance herself and the judiciary from the politics swirling around her nomination and the presidential election.
“It is the job of a judge to resist her policy preferences. It would be a dereliction of duty for her to give in to them," she said.
Once she takes the judicial oath Tuesday from Roberts, Barrett will become the fifth woman ever to serve on the high court, succeeding the late liberal Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She will begin work a week before Election Day, participate in her first conference with the other justices Friday, and take her place on the bench for oral arguments next Monday.
That is as Trump wanted. Throughout the confirmation process, the president had emphasized the importance of having Barrett as the ninth Supreme Court justice to help decide challenges involving mail-in ballots and other voting procedures.
“This is a momentous day for America, for the United States Constitution, and for the fair and impartial rule of law," Trump said. Barrett, he said, "is one of our nation’s most brilliant legal scholars.”
The election will be Barrett's first and most important focus: Petitions challenging voting procedures in Pennsylvania and North Carolina are pending before the high court, which ruled 5-3 along ideological lines Monday night against extending Wisconsin's deadline for absentee ballots.
The Pennsylvania dispute returned to the Supreme Court after the justices deadlocked 4-4 last week, leaving in place a Nov. 6 deadline for the receipt of mail-in ballots that Republicans want changed to Nov. 3.
It's not unusual for justices to be sworn in during Supreme Court terms, rather than over the summer recess. Trump's first two nominees also hit the ground running: Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch began in April 2017 when the court was completing oral arguments for that term, and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh started in October 2018 after a new term had just begun.
Like Barrett, Kavanaugh was sworn in just hours after the Senate's 50-48 confirmation vote. Trump congratulated him on Twitter and signed his commission to the Supreme Court aboard Air Force One so Kavanaugh could get to work immediately.
Barrett's elevation to a lifetime seat on the nation's highest court has been just as controversial as the others, both for partisan and ideological reasons. It represents the culmination of conservatives' decades-long project to win control of the Supreme Court, perhaps for decades to come.
Republicans engineered the process by blocking President Barack Obama from filling conservative Associate Justice Antonin Scalia's seat in the last year of his presidency, then allowing Trump to fill Ginsburg's seat while facing an uphill re-election battle.
More: Pack the court? Battles between Republicans and Democrats fuel clash over Supreme Court's future
Ginsburg, the leader of the court's liberal wing who had become a cultural icon in her 80s, died Sept. 18 after battling pancreatic cancer. Democrats immediately cited McConnell's 2016 refusal to act on Obama's nominee as reason to delay action until after the election, to no avail.
The president took advantage of the situation by nominating Barrett, one of the nation's most conservative federal court judges, who he had placed on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit in 2017. Barrett vocally opposed the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide before becoming a judge, wrote a dissenting opinion on the 7th Circuit defending nonviolent felons' right to own firearms, and criticized Roberts' prior rulings upholding the Affordable Care Act in scholarly writings, also before becoming a judge.
More: Amy Coney Barrett: Talented judge, popular professor brings solid conservative credentials
She is highly regarded in legal circles, including by some prominent liberals, for her scholarly background as a Notre Dame Law School professor. She is an acolyte of Scalia, for whom she clerked in the 1990s, and a proponent of interpreting the Constitution and federal statutes as written.
Barrett sailed through her Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this month, deftly refusing to answer even more questions than her predecessors did regarding Supreme Court precedents and issues that could come to the court in the future. All 12 Republicans voted to send her nomination to the Senate floor; all 10 Democrats boycotted the vote.
As the Senate prepared to vote Monday night, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., issued a warning.
“The American people will never forget this blatant act of bad faith," Schumer said. "It will go down as one of the darkest days in the 231-year history of the United States Senate.”


usatoday--2020-10-27--Two firefighters badly burned as two wildfires in California's Orange County prompt evacuation of 71

Two firefighters badly burned as two wildfires in California's Orange County prompt evacuation of 71,000 homes

LOS ANGELES – Two rapidly spreading wildfires prompted the evacuation of more than 71,000 homes in two cities in upscale sections of Southern California 's Orange County , fire officials said Monday .
More than 500 firefighters turned out in force to battle the flames that quickly blackened more than 7,200 acres after breaking out in the Silverado Canyon area .
As a precaution , residents in 70,000 homes were ordered evacuated , Fire Capt .
Greg Barta said .
Two members of a fire hand crew were badly burned fighting the fires , the OCFA said .
The two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second- and third-degree burns on at least half of their bodies .
`` They are gravely injured .
Their families are with them , '' said OCFA Fire Chief Brian Fennessy .
`` We are giving them all the support we can . ''
As if that was n't enough , the Blue Ridge Fire broke out in the afternoon in Chino Hills , above Yorba Linda neighborhoods , burning 1,100 acres .
Barta said evacuations were ordered from 1,170 homes .
Yorba Linda is home to the Richard M. Nixon National Library @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports that it was immediately under threat , At first , it appeared the Silverado Fire might be contained to thick brush in less populated areas near Irvine , an upscale city situated south of Los Angeles and north of San Diego .
When firefighters arrived on the scene about 6:45 a.m. PST , it was only 10 acres .
But the flames were fanned by winds blowing at a steady 20 to 30 mph , with gusts up to 70 mph .
Later in the morning , the OCFA said the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ served as a natural fire break , Highway 241 , and was threatening neighborhoods in the area , prompting the evacuations .
Fire 'danger ' : High winds , dry air , low humidity combine to create 'dangerous fire weather event ' for California through Tuesday Kelsey Brewer and her three roommates decided to leave their townhouse before the evacuation order came in .
The question was where to go in the pandemic .
They decided on the home of her girlfriend ’ s mother , who has ample space and lives alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this morning , ” Brewer said .
`` There ’ s nowhere you can go to feel safe.
” Firefighters across Southern California had been bracing for the onslaught of Santa Ana winds and are accompanied by low humidity , said Jim Mathews , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento .
Nearby fires roar : Two largest wildfires in Colorado history are burning at the same time , 10 miles apart The desert-like conditions were expected to be “ uncomfortably similar ” to the circumstances that led to other destructive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2018 ’ s Camp Fire and the Wine Country Fires of 2017 , Mathews said .
`` This is our severe weather season right now : fire weather . ''
It was n't just Southern California .
`` Extreme '' fire weather also had Northern California , hundreds of miles away , in its grip .
Some areas were rated as `` critical . ''
Fortunately , the initial blazes were relatively small : Four new wildfires burned more than 300 acres Sunday afternoon in Shasta County , but on Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand .
Pacific Gas and Electric Company had cut power to thousands of homes as a precaution ahead of the dangerous conditions , which are expected to continue into early Tuesday .
PG & E said in a statement that as many as 361,000 customers across 36 counties and 17 tribal communities could see interruptions .
Elsewhere in the West , damage assessment was underway near Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado where the East Troublesome Fire burned through more than 300 square miles .
Firefighters received help over the weekend by cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest wildfires in Colorado history are burning at the same time , 10 miles apart

Chris Woodyard and Jordan Culver, USA TODAY

'There’s nowhere you can go to feel safe': 2 wildfires in California's Orange County force 85K evacuations; 2 firefighters badly burned
Show Caption Hide Caption Southern California wildfires prompts thousands to evacuate The Silverado Fire and Blue Ride Fire in Southern California burns over 8,000 acres and forces thousands to evacuate their homes. Harrison Hill, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES — Two rapidly spreading wildfires prompted the evacuation of more than 85,000 people in two cities in upscale sections of Southern California's Orange County, fire officials said Monday.
More than 500 firefighters turned out in force to battle the Silverado Fire that quickly blackened more than 7,200 acres near Irvine. As a precaution, 70,000 people were ordered to evacuate from their homes, Fire Capt. Greg Barta said.
Two members of a fire hand crew were badly burned, the Orange County Fire Authority said. The two, ages 26 and 32, suffered second- and third-degree burns on at least half of their bodies.
"They are gravely injured. Their families are with them," said OCFA Fire Chief Brian Fennessy. "We are giving them all the support we can."
As if that wasn't enough, the Blue Ridge Fire broke out in the afternoon in Chino Hills, above Yorba Linda neighborhoods, burning 3,000 acres and forcing the mandatory evacuation of more than 15,000 people from nearly 4,700 homes, according to Chino Valley Fire. Yorba Linda is home to the Richard M. Nixon National Library and Museum, but there were no reports that it was immediately under threat.
At first, it appeared the Silverado Fire might be contained to thick brush in less populated areas near Irvine, an upscale city situated south of Los Angeles and north of San Diego. When firefighters arrived on the scene about 6:45 a.m. PST, it was only 10 acres.
But the flames were fanned by winds blowing at a steady 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 70 mph. Later in the morning, the OCFA said the fire and jumped a major artery that had served as a natural fire break, Highway 241, and was threatening neighborhoods in the area, prompting the evacuations.
Those high winds temporarily grounded water-dropping helicopters.
Kelsey Brewer and her three roommates decided to leave their townhouse before the evacuation order came in. The question was where to go in the pandemic. They decided on the home of her girlfriend’s mother, who has ample space and lives alone.
Cub rescued: Orphaned mountain lion cub rescued from wildfire
“We literally talked about it this morning,” Brewer said. "There’s nowhere you can go to feel safe.”
Firefighters across Southern California had been bracing for the onslaught of Santa Ana winds and are accompanied by low humidity, said Jim Mathews, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
The desert-like conditions were expected to be “uncomfortably similar” to the circumstances that led to other destructive fires including 2019’s Kincade Fire, 2018’s Camp Fire and the Wine Country Fires of 2017, Mathews said. "This is our severe weather season right now: fire weather."
It wasn't just Southern California. "Extreme" fire weather also had Northern California, hundreds of miles away, in its grip. Some areas were rated as "critical." Fortunately, the initial blazes were relatively small: Four new wildfires burned more than 300 acres Sunday afternoon in Shasta County, but on Monday, firefighters appeared to be gaining the upper hand.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company had cut power to thousands of homes as a precaution ahead of the dangerous conditions, which are expected to continue into early Tuesday. PG&E said in a statement that as many as 361,000 customers across 36 counties and 17 tribal communities could see interruptions.
Contributing: The Associated Press