usatoday--2020-09-27--Biden tacks to the center in fight with Trump over Rust Belt moderates. Will it drive away progressi

Biden tacks to the center in fight with Trump over Rust Belt moderates. Will it drive away progressives?

WASHINGTON – Joe Biden rankled some progressives this month when he boasted of his primary victory over Sen. Bernie Sanders while responding to President Donald Trump 's efforts to paint him as a left-wing radical .
`` I beat the socialist , '' Biden said without mentioning Sanders by name during a campaign stop in Manitowoc , Wisconsin .
`` Do I look like a socialist ?
Look at my career .
My whole career .
I am not a socialist . ''
Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile scolded the Democratic presidential nominee on Twitter for a comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's divisive narrative . ''
`` Play to your strengths , '' she advised Biden .
But Biden is betting that emphasizing centrist credentials will help him win over swing voters in Rust Belt states such as Wisconsin , Michigan and Pennsylvania , including some who backed Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
Trump won all three states by whisker-thin margins : a combined 77,744 votes out of 13,940,912 cast , or about half a percentage point .
Without Wisconsin , Michigan and Pennsylvania , Trump would have lost in the Electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and suburban voters who backed Trump four years ago had cast ballots for the ticket that Biden shared in 2008 and 2012 with former President Barack Obama .
In 2008 , with the stock market collapsing at the height of the financial crisis , Obama won over suburban swing voters with a pledge to fix the economy and restore jobs .
But some of those voters gravitated toward Trump in 2016 based on his pledge to get tougher on trade and fight for their economic interests .
For Biden , distancing himself from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters who are wary of too much government interference in the economy .
At the same time , the former vice president is also channeling Sanders ' populist economic rhetoric to try to slice into some of Trump 's support with working-class voters .
His message : The wealthy real estate developer is no friend of blue-collar voters .
“ I ’ ve dealt with guys like Donald Trump my whole life – guys from the neighborhood where I come from who would look down on us because we didn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t go to college , ” Biden said in a factory during his trip to Manitowoc .
“ Guys who think they ’ re better than you . ''
Biden touts his working-class upbringing in Scranton , Pennsylvania , casting the 2020 presidential race as a contest between `` Scranton and Wall Street . ''
He argued that Trump 's tax cuts benefited Wall Street and big corporations without lifting up the middle class .
Biden has also accused Trump of botching the response to the coronavirus pandemic , saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy .
`` Now some 30 million Americans are out of unemployment , '' Biden said , adding that Trump wants to give another `` gigantic multi-million-dollar tax cut '' to the very wealthy .
`` Whose hide does it come out of ?
It comes out of your hide .
`` The simple truth is that Donald Trump ran for office saying he would represent the forgotten man and woman in this country .
And then once he got in office , he forgot us .
Not only did he forget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never really respected us very much . ''
Biden went on to talk of graduating from a state school – the University of Delaware in 1965 – not an Ivy League college like recent presidents , including Trump .
`` I say it 's about time that a state school president sat in the Oval Office , '' Biden said .
Biden has maintained a lead over Trump in the three key Rust Belt battleground states , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin and Michigan .
The FiveThirtyEight average of polls has Biden ahead by 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Michigan and 6 points in Wisconsin .
Trump has tried to make a play in another Midwest state – Minnesota – but polling there shows Biden ahead by an even greater margin .
For Clinton in 2016 , the loss of white suburban voters was n't the only reason for her defeat in Rust Belt states .
A lack of enthusiasm among Black voters – who lean overwhelmingly Democratic – helped to account for her losses in Wisconsin , Michigan and Pennsylvania .
As Biden tries to put together a winning coalition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate between Biden and Trump in Cleveland Tuesday will give the Democratic candidate another opportunity to push back on the president 's efforts to cast him as a captive of the radical left .
First Trump-Biden debate : Supreme Court , coronavirus , race among the topics for the Cleveland debate One risk for Biden is that the effort to distance himself from the socialist label and his emphasis on centrist themes will dampen enthusiasm among progressives , especially younger voters who embraced Sanders during the primary .
But Jeff Weaver , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his 2016 presidential run , said anger at Trump was helping to unify different segments of the Democratic party .
`` Donald Trump is the P.T .
Barnum of modern American politics and it 's important to expose what is really at issue of this campaign , which is the future progress of working people in this country and marginalized communities , '' Weaver said .
Weaver said two issues will help drive progressive support for Biden in November : the hunger to beat `` the most destructive president in modern American history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as raising the minimum wage , increasing family leave pay and dealing with climate change .
There 's `` 100 % '' more enthusiasm around Biden among the left than Clinton four years ago , said Weaver , who founded the pro-Biden Super PAC America 's Progressive Promise .
Sanders goes to bat for Biden If Sanders was annoyed by Biden referring to him as `` the socialist , '' he did n't show it during a speech Thursday at George Washington University not far from the White House .
The Vermont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Biden , though he focused much of his speech criticizing Trump 's refusal to say , when asked by a reporter , whether he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he were to lose .
His remarks kicked off Sanders ' new role in the campaign – not touting progressive causes like universal health care or the Green New Deal on behalf of Biden , but framing the race as a `` struggle to preserve American democracy . ''
Four years ago , tens of thousands of Sanders voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Vermont senator during the presidential primary and cast a ballot in the general election for a real estate mogul who championed capitalist ideals .
They liked Trump ’ s call for a rebirth in American manufacturing , his willingness to confront unfair trade practices by other countries , his blunt takedown of Washington ’ s power structure – themes Sanders pounded as well .
More : Joe Biden endorsed , Trump excoriated by nearly 500 retired top military , national security officials And they didn ’ t particularly care for Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April , around the time Sanders ended his 2020 presidential bid , indicated Biden may lose fewer of the progressive icon 's supporters than Clinton did.The survey of 638 voters who backed Sanders in primaries or caucuses this year found that 4 % plan to vote for Trump – down from the 12 % who voted for Trump over Clinton , according to a 2017 Cooperative Congressional Election study .
The Suffolk poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points .
Charles Franklin , director of the Marquette @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden is doing a better job than Clinton did of keeping Democrats and left-leaning independents in the fold .
Franklin said Trump is `` the great unifier for Democrats this year .
A gift that keeps giving to the other party . ''
Riots .
Radicalism .
Corruption : Trump and Biden supporters turn to apocalyptic themes in campaign ad wars .
More : Trump declines to commit to peaceful transfer of power , McConnell promises 'orderly transition' The Marquette polls showed that a greater percentage of Sanders voters ( 79 % ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left-leaning independents view Biden favorably in 2020 compared to Clinton ( 71 % ) in 2016 , Franklin said .
Todd Belt , professor and political management program director at George Washington University , said he does n't believe Biden risks alienating progressive voters by pushing back at the socialism tag .
He said analyses suggest the Sanders ' wing of the party is `` pretty solidly '' behind Biden '' They 've made peace with the fact that he is the nominee and they do n't intend to repeat a division of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Belt said .
Where do Americans stand on election issues ?
Let them tell you how they feel about this policy

Ledyard King and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY

'I beat the socialist': Biden tacks to the center in fight with Trump over Rust Belt moderates
Show Caption Hide Caption More Republicans publicly support Biden for president Prominent Republicans have publicly endorsed or shown support for Joe Biden instead of their party's incumbent, Donald Trump. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Joe Biden rankled some progressives this month when he boasted of his primary victory over Sen. Bernie Sanders while responding to President Donald Trump's efforts to paint him as a left-wing radical.
"I beat the socialist," Biden said without mentioning Sanders by name during a campaign stop in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. "Do I look like a socialist? Look at my career. My whole career. I am not a socialist."
Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile scolded the Democratic presidential nominee on Twitter for a comment she said was "playing into Trump's divisive narrative."
"Play to your strengths," she advised Biden.
But Biden is betting that emphasizing centrist credentials will help him win over swing voters in Rust Belt states such as Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, including some who backed Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Trump won all three states by whisker-thin margins: a combined 77,744 votes out of 13,940,912 cast, or about half a percentage point. Without Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, Trump would have lost in the Electoral College.
Amy Coney Barrett: 10 ways Trump's pick could change the Supreme Court
Some of the white working-class and suburban voters who backed Trump four years ago had cast ballots for the ticket that Biden shared in 2008 and 2012 with Barack Obama.
In 2008, with the stock market collapsing at the height of the financial crisis, Obama won over suburban swing voters with a pledge to fix the economy and restore jobs. But some of those voters gravitated toward Trump in 2016 based on his pledge to get tougher on trade and fight for their economic interests.
For Biden, distancing himself from socialism could help him win over suburban voters who are wary of too much government interference in the economy.
At the same time, the former vice president is also channeling Sanders' populist economic rhetoric to try to slice into some of Trump's support with working-class voters.
His message: The wealthy real estate developer is no friend of blue-collar voters.
Scranton vs. Wall Street
“I’ve dealt with guys like Donald Trump my whole life – guys from the neighborhood where I come from who would look down on us because we didn’t have a lot of money or your parents didn’t go to college,” Biden said in a factory during his trip to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. “Guys who think they’re better than you."
Biden touted his working-class upbringing in Scranton, Pennsylvania, casting the 2020 presidential race as a contest between "Scranton and Wall Street." He argued that Trump's tax cuts benefited Wall Street and big corporations without lifting up the middle class. Biden has also accused Trump of botching the response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying that it cost lives while also exacerbating disruptions to the economy.
"Now some 30 million Americans are out of unemployment," Biden said, adding that Trump wants to give another "gigantic multimillion-dollar tax cut" to the very wealthy. "Whose hide does it come out of? It comes out of your hide.
"The simple truth is that Donald Trump ran for office saying he would represent the forgotten man and woman in this country. And then once he got in office, he forgot us. Not only did he forget them, the truth is that he never really respected us very much."
Biden went on to talk of graduating from a state school – the University of Delaware in 1965 – not an Ivy League college like recent presidents, including Trump.
"I say it's about time that a state school president sat in the Oval Office," Biden said.
Biden has maintained a lead over Trump in the three key Rust Belt battleground states, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. The FiveThirtyEight average of polls has Biden ahead by 5 percentage points in Pennsylvania, 7 points in Michigan and 6 points in Wisconsin. Trump has tried to make a play in another Midwest state – Minnesota – but polling there shows Biden ahead by an even greater margin.
For Clinton in 2016, the loss of white suburban voters wasn't the only reason for her defeat in Rust Belt states. A lack of enthusiasm among Black voters, who lean overwhelmingly Democratic, helped to account for her losses in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
As Biden tries to put together a winning coalition for those key states, the first debate between Biden and Trump in Cleveland Tuesday will give the Democratic candidate another opportunity to push back on the president's efforts to cast him as a captive of the radical left.
First Trump-Biden debate: Supreme Court, coronavirus, race among the topics for the Cleveland debate
One risk for Biden is that the effort to distance himself from the socialist label and his emphasis on centrist themes will dampen enthusiasm among progressives, especially younger voters who embraced Sanders during the primary.
But Jeff Weaver, who served as Sanders' campaign manager during his 2016 presidential run, said anger at Trump was helping to unify different segments of the Democratic Party.
"Donald Trump is the P.T. Barnum of modern American politics and it's important to expose what is really at issue of this campaign, which is the future progress of working people in this country and marginalized communities," Weaver said.
Weaver said two issues will help drive progressive support for Biden in November: the hunger to beat "the most destructive president in modern American history" and Biden's support for issues such as raising the minimum wage, increasing family leave pay and dealing with climate change.
There's "100%" more enthusiasm around Biden among the left than Clinton four years ago, said Weaver, who founded the pro-Biden Super PAC America's Progressive Promise.
Sanders goes to bat for Biden
If Sanders was annoyed by Biden referring to him as "the socialist," he didn't show it during a speech Thursday at George Washington University not far from the White House.
The Vermont senator said he is "strongly supporting" Biden, though he focused much of his speech criticizing Trump's refusal to say, when asked by a reporter, whether he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he were to lose.
His remarks kicked off Sanders' new role in the campaign – not touting progressive causes like universal health care or the Green New Deal on behalf of Biden, but framing the race as a "struggle to preserve American democracy."
Four years ago, tens of thousands of Sanders voters – about 1 in 8 – pivoted from the Vermont senator during the presidential primary and cast a ballot in the general election for a real estate mogul who championed capitalist ideals.
They liked Trump’s call for a rebirth in American manufacturing, his willingness to confront unfair trade practices by other countries, his blunt takedown of Washington’s power structure – themes Sanders pounded as well.
More: Joe Biden endorsed, Trump excoriated by nearly 500 retired top military, national security officials
And they didn’t particularly care for Clinton.
A USA TODAY/Suffolk University survey in April, around the time Sanders ended his 2020 presidential bid, indicated Biden may lose fewer of the progressive icon's supporters than Clinton did.The survey of 638 voters who backed Sanders in primaries or caucuses this year found that 4% plan to vote for Trump – down from the 12% who voted for Trump over Clinton, according to a 2017 Cooperative Congressional Election study. The Suffolk poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School poll in Wisconsin, said Biden is doing a better job than Clinton did of keeping Democrats and left-leaning independents in the fold.
Franklin said Trump is "the great unifier for Democrats this year. A gift that keeps giving to the other party."
Riots. Radicalism. Corruption: Trump and Biden supporters turn to apocalyptic themes in campaign ad wars.
More: Trump declines to commit to peaceful transfer of power, McConnell promises 'orderly transition'
The Marquette polls showed that a greater percentage of Sanders voters (79%) in Wisconsin who identify as Democrats or left-leaning independents view Biden favorably in 2020 compared to Clinton (71%) in 2016, Franklin said.
Todd Belt, professor and political management program director at George Washington University, said he doesn't believe Biden risks alienating progressive voters by pushing back at the socialism tag. He said analyses suggest the Sanders' wing of the party is "pretty solidly" behind Biden
"They've made peace with the fact that he is the nominee and they don't intend to repeat a division of the party that happened in 2016," Belt said.
Contributing: Associated Press


usatoday--2020-09-28--Heat finish off Celtics to set up NBA Finals showdown with former star LeBron James and Lakers

LAKE BUENA VISTA , Fla. — Bam Adebayo blamed himself for Miami ’ s Game 5 loss to Boston .
He can ’ t do that after Game 6 .
The Miami center turned in a near-perfect game : 11-for-15 from the field , 10-for-11 from the foul line for a playoff career-high 32 points plus 14 rebounds as the Heat topped the Celtics 125-113 on Sunday , winning the Eastern Conference finals in a close series .
“ He 's an elite competitor , and he 's as impactful as anyone in this association , ” Heat coach Erik @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heat are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 and will play the Los Angeles Lakers for the title .
Game 1 is Wednesday ( 9 p.m .
ET , ABC ) .
The Finals overflows with intriguing storylines and the glamour of two desirable coastal destinations – Miami and Los Angeles .
Lakers star LeBron James will play his former team , who he helped to two championships in 2012 and 2013 , and Heat president Pat Riley will go against the team he coached to four championships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first No .
5 seed to reach the NBA Finals .
Had this been a normal playoffs , the Heat would ’ ve been the road team against Indiana , Milwaukee and Boston .
But on a neutral site , the Heat were able to beat the higher seed in three consecutive series .
It was a tight series .
In six games , the Celtics outscored the Heat 675-674 .
It looked like Boston might force a Game 7 .
The Celtics owned a 96-90 lead with 9:04 left in the fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Herro and Adebayo and the playmaking of Jimmy Butler helped Miami take a 109-102 lead with 4:31 left in the fourth quarter .
The Heat pulled away in the final minutes .
Herro , the rookie , had another strong game off the bench with 19 points , seven assists and five rebounds .
Andre Iguodala had 15 points off the bench , and Butler had 22 points and eight assists .
Boston forward Jayson Tatum scored 24 points , delivered 11 assists and collected seven rebounds .
Forward Jaylen Brown scored 26 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kemba Walker each scored 20 points .
Those four combined for 90 of Boston ’ s points , but it wasn ’ t enough against the Heat , who had six players in double figures .

Heat finish off Celtics to set up NBA Finals showdown with former star LeBron James and Lakers
Show Caption Hide Caption How the Miami Heat went from 'dark horses' to the NBA Finals SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Mackenzie Salmon looks at how Miami returned to relevancy and constructed the most dangerous team in the bubble. USA TODAY
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Bam Adebayo blamed himself for Miami’s Game 5 loss to Boston.
He can’t do that after Game 6.
The Miami center turned in a near-perfect game: 11-for-15 from the field, 10-for-11 from the foul line for a playoff career-high 32 points plus 14 rebounds as the Heat topped the Celtics 125-113 on Sunday, winning the Eastern Conference finals in a close series.
"Bam is one of the great competitors already in this association," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He's going to become one of the great winners in the history just because he's so competitive. He moves the needle in every single day. You can't put an analytic to his game and that's probably why he was overlooked in college.
"He competes every single possession. He's really going into a leadership role. Way beyond his years. His offensive game is just growing daily. And he wants the responsibility, and he wants the accountability, and he isn't afraid of putting that responsibility on his shoulders, and that's what he did the other night."
The Heat are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 and will play the Los Angeles Lakers for the title. Game 1 is Wednesday (9 p.m. ET, ABC).
The Finals overflows with intriguing storylines and the glamour of two desirable coastal destinations – Miami and Los Angeles. Lakers star LeBron James will play his former team, who he helped to two championships in 2012 and 2013, and Heat president Pat Riley will go against the team he coached to four championships in the 1980s.
"We know who we are facing," Spoelstra said.
Miami becomes the first No. 5 seed to reach the NBA Finals. Had this been a normal playoffs, the Heat would’ve been the road team against Indiana, Milwaukee and Boston. But on a neutral site, the Heat were able to beat the higher seed in three consecutive series.
It was a tight series. In six games, the Celtics outscored the Heat 675-674.
"Miami deserves a lot of credit," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "They're super physical, super tough, very, very savvy. I think they're the best team in the East and deserve to be representing the East in the way that they have played. ... I think that they just deserve a lot of credit because super team, super coach. They're really good. They're going to be a handful."
West finals: With brilliant fourth quarter, LeBron James shows why he's in NBA Finals for 10th time
More Lakers: LeBron James credits coach Frank Vogel for team being 'great' this season
It looked like Boston might force a Game 7.
The Celtics owned a 96-90 lead with 9:04 left in the fourth quarter. But the scoring of Tyler Herro and Adebayo and the playmaking of Jimmy Butler helped Miami take a 109-102 lead with 4:31 left in the fourth quarter. The Heat pulled away in the final minutes.
Adebayo had 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the fourth quarter, and the Heat outscored the Celtics 37-27 in the final 12 minutes.
"After we had the lead, Adebayo, and credit all of them, but Adebayo deciding he's just going to drive the ball put us in a real bind with the shooters around him," Stevens said. "And their physicality is something that I'm not sure that we probably talked about it enough. They're strong, they're physical, they're tough and, him in particular, dominated that fourth quarter. Even the plays where he didn't score, his presence was so impactful and it put us in a real bind with the ability to guard him."
Adebayo lifts Miami to Finals! 💪@Bam1of1's playoff career-high 32 PTS, 14 REB help the @MiamiHEAT win Game 6 and advance to the #NBAFinals presented by YouTube TV!
MIA/LAL Game 1: Wednesday at 9pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/PjHNHdFDXQ — NBA (@NBA) September 28, 2020
Herro, the rookie, had another strong game off the bench with 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Andre Iguodala had 15 points off the bench, and Butler had 22 points and eight assists.
Boston forward Jayson Tatum scored 24 points, delivered 11 assists and collected seven rebounds. Forward Jaylen Brown scored 26 points, and guards Marcus Smart and Kemba Walker each scored 20 points. Those four combined for 90 of Boston’s points, but it wasn’t enough against the Heat, who had six players in double figures.


usatoday--2020-09-28--As heat wave brings 'critical risks' of wildfires, California contends with two new blazes

SAN FRANCISCO — California residents , who recently caught a breather from the unhealthy air quality produced by a spate of wildfires this month , are now holding their breath hoping those conditions don ’ t return .
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for nearly all of Northern California as a heat wave hitting the Western states combines with gusty , dry winds to heighten the risk of wildfires in a region already pummeled by the rash of blazes .
A pair of new fires broke out Sunday , including the fast-moving Zogg Fire that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than five hours near Redding in Northern California , according to Cal Fire .
The Glass Fire , which sparked early in the day in Napa Valley wine country north of San Francisco , had consumed more than 1,000 acres by evening .
The weather service said both Northern and Southern California would be exposed to “ critical risks for fire weather ’ ’ on Sunday and Monday , but AccuWeather meteorologist Brett Rossio said that , because of stronger winds , the former is in the most danger .
The state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said it planned to cut off power to 89,000 customers through Monday morning , mostly in the Northern and Central Sierra but also extending to parts of the San Francisco Bay Area , as a preventive measure to avoid igniting fires .
The number of affected customers was later reduced to 65,000 .
Northern California is also the location of the enormous August Complex Fire , which continues to burn about 130 miles north of San Francisco .
The largest wildfire in state history has charred more than 873,000 acres and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality state residents were exposed to for days about three weeks ago and the apocalyptic skies over the Bay Area on Sept. 9 .
Rossio said conditions this week won ’ t reach that level , but air quality “ likely will be very poor , especially given this offshore flow .
It will probably make things pretty bad for Sacramento , San Francisco.
’ ’ Neither the August Complex nor the Creek Fire , which has incinerated more than 302,000 acres of a forest 60 miles northeast of Fresno , is yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spew smoke and foul up the air in their surroundings and , depending on the wind , even hundreds of miles away .
People with respiratory ailments are especially susceptible to that harmful air , said John Watson , a research professor of air quality science at the Desert Research Institute in Reno , Nevada .
Widespread : Aerial footage shows smoke and flames from wildfire rise into night sky in California “ The adverse health effects from the polluted days are typically short-lived unless they aggravate an already underlying condition such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulmonary disease ) , ’ ’ said Watson , who advised checking the air quality index , minimizing outdoors activities in poor conditions and using air-conditioning units in the recirculate setting to filter the indoor air .
Air-conditioners and fans figure to get a workout this week in California , where cities including Los Angeles , Sacramento , Fresno and San Jose are expected to reach or approach triple-digit temperatures .
The heat doesn ’ t by itself set off fires , but with forest vegetation increasingly dry after months without rain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When you increase the temperature , you ’ re also decreasing the dew point and thereby decreasing the relative humidity , ’ ’ Rossio said .
“ Basically , you ’ re creating a tinderbox .
’ ’

As heat wave brings 'critical risks' of wildfires, California contends with two new blazes
Show Caption Hide Caption Fires: Red flag warning issued for nearly all of Northern California National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for nearly all of Northern California after two new fires wreak burning havoc. USA TODAY, Storyful
SAN FRANCISCO — California residents, who recently caught a breather from the unhealthy air quality produced by a spate of wildfires this month, are now holding their breath hoping those conditions don’t return.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for nearly all of Northern California as a heat wave hitting the Western states combines with gusty, dry winds to heighten the risk of wildfires in a region already pummeled by the rash of blazes.
A pair of new fires broke out Sunday, including the fast-moving Zogg Fire that had burned through 7,000 acres in less than five hours near Redding in Northern California, according to Cal Fire.
The Glass Fire, which sparked early in the day in Napa Valley wine country north of San Francisco, had consumed more than 2,500 acres by evening.
Glass Fire: Never wait til the last second to evacuate. This video is from Deputy Matt Macomber, one of several deputies currently evacuating parts of Napa County. pic.twitter.com/YQXFirJ0aV — Napa County Sheriff's Office (@NapaSheriff) September 27, 2020
The weather service said both Northern and Southern California would be exposed to “critical risks for fire weather’’ on Sunday and Monday, but AccuWeather meteorologist Brett Rossio said that, because of stronger winds, the former is in the most danger.
The state’s biggest utility, PG&E, said it planned to cut off power to 89,000 customers through Monday morning, mostly in the Northern and Central Sierra but also extending to parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, as a preventive measure to avoid igniting fires. The number of affected customers was later reduced to 65,000.
Timelapse video: Zogg Fire burns near Redding, California
Northern California is also the location of the enormous August Complex Fire, which continues to burn about 130 miles north of San Francisco. The largest wildfire in state history has charred more than 873,000 acres and was a major contributor to the dangerous air quality state residents were exposed to for days about three weeks ago and the apocalyptic skies over the Bay Area on Sept. 9.
Rossio said conditions this week won’t reach that level, but air quality “likely will be very poor, especially given this offshore flow. It will probably make things pretty bad for Sacramento, San Francisco.’’
Neither the August Complex nor the Creek Fire, which has incinerated more than 302,000 acres of a forest 60 miles northeast of Fresno, is yet 50% contained. So they continue to spew smoke and foul up the air in their surroundings and, depending on the wind, even hundreds of miles away.
People with respiratory ailments are especially susceptible to that harmful air, said John Watson, a research professor of air quality science at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada.
Widespread: Aerial footage shows smoke and flames from wildfire rise into night sky in California
Wildfires: Centuries of forest mismanagement, climate change Here's how Native Americans used controlled burns to maintain forests and why it's needed now more than ever. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
“The adverse health effects from the polluted days are typically short-lived unless they aggravate an already underlying condition such as asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease),’’ said Watson, who advised checking the air quality index, minimizing outdoors activities in poor conditions and using air-conditioning units in the recirculate setting to filter the indoor air.
Air-conditioners and fans figure to get a workout this week in California, where cities including Los Angeles, Sacramento, Fresno and San Jose are expected to reach or approach triple-digit temperatures.
The heat doesn’t by itself set off fires, but with forest vegetation increasingly dry after months without rain, all it takes is a spark.
“When you increase the temperature, you’re also decreasing the dew point and thereby decreasing the relative humidity,’’ Rossio said. “Basically, you’re creating a tinderbox.’’


usatoday--2020-09-28--32 things we learned from Week 3 of the 2020 NFL season

The 32 things we learned from Week 3 of the 2020 NFL season : 1 .
Though the political aftermath of Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's death will surely remain contentious , it was nice to see a bipartisan – and , it seemed , national – outpouring for the Associate Supreme Court Justice , who died Sept. 18 .
The `` Notorious RBG '' was a leading advocate for women 's rights and gender equality in recent decades , so hopefully she was smiling somewhere given NFL history was made Sunday in Cleveland .
The Browns-Washington game was the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge Sarah Thomas ) as well as female football staffers on each sideline , Jennifer King an intern and offensive assistant for Washington while Callie Brownson serves as Cleveland 's chief of staff .
Ginsburg was n't a sports fan , but she would have certainly appreciated such progress in an industry long monopolized by men .
2 .
It 's absurdly early to give Seahawks QB Russell Wilson MVP honors – though it appears he 's a near-virtual lock to at least get that elusive vote his year – but there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September comes to a close .
Russ has been cooking all month , becoming the first player in league history to throw at least four TD passes in the opening three games of a season .
2a .
Wilson hung five more TD strikes on Dallas , including the game winner to WR DK Metcalf in the final two minutes , to give Seattle its first 3-0 start since 2013 – the only season the Seahawks finished a season with a Super Bowl victory .
2b .
Wilson now has a league-best 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three weeks ) , which puts him on pace to throw 75 – a figure that would shatter Peyton Manning 's record by 20 .
2c .
Wilson 's 76.7 % completion rate would also establish an NFL mark if it holds up all year .
2d .
But beware that Seahawks defense , which has surrendered more than 450 yards and at least 25 points in all three games this season – especially problematic if S Jamal Adams ' groin injury lingers .
2e .
So , Mr. Metcalf , what 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you 're going to showboat like a young DeSean Jackson and give away TDs by not protecting the ball before you 've actually scored ?
Also , you 're not helping Russ ' MVP credentials ... 2f .
But at least you leveraged all those muscles to make up for your gaffe when Seattle really needed it .
3 .
Salutations to Colts QB Philip Rivers .
He started his 227th consecutive regular-season game , a streak second only to Brett Favre 's ( 297 ) , and became the sixth member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sixth player to pass for 60,000 career passing yards .
3a .
Indianapolis ' offense accounted for 20 points Sunday , its defense accounted for 16 ... and the Jets had seven .
3b .
The Jets are the only team that has not held a lead this season .
4 .
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott aired it out a career-high 57 times in Sunday 's loss .
While that might be a nice data point when his contract negotiations resume in 2021 , Dallas would probably be wise to strive for much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 by Prescott ) against the Seahawks .
The pass-heavy approach was forgivable in Week 3 given given Seattle entered the game with the league 's second-ranked run defense , and it might 've been easier to throw against a defense that struggles to rush the passer when starting OTs Tyron Smith and La'el Collins continue to remain unavailable .
5 .
Raiders coach Jon Gruden was coaching in New England for the first time since the `` Tuck Rule '' game , the Silver and Black 's infamous loss in the 2001 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patriots dynasty .
Gruden can go back to Las Vegas content that his previously undefeated team fully earned Sunday 's 36-20 defeat .
5a .
Since Gruden and Bill Belichick last matched wits with these respective teams , the Patriots have won six of nine Super Bowl trips and more than 76 % of their games .
Meanwhile , the Raiders employed nine head coaches between Gruden 's stints , reaching the playoffs twice and winnings 36 % of their contests .
6 .
Quite the line for Buccaneers Pro Bowl WR Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 yards ... and two TDs .
Somewhere , former Tampa Bay FB Mike Alstott is beaming .
7 .
Weirder line for Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald , who had one reception for 0 yards on three targets .
8 .
Rams fans have every right to be furious after officials stole what was a deserved win at Buffalo with a highly suspect pass interference call with 21 seconds remaining on a play that should have sealed a 32-28 victory for L.A. Then again , the refs also gifted you that trip to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still not accurate to say things have evened out .
8a .
And maybe this was a justified penalty given how the Rams continue to penalize all of us with those new uniforms .
Gradient never wins ( cc : Jaguars , Falcons ) .
8b .
It was Rams coach Sean McVay 's first `` loss '' in six career 1 p.m .
ET kickoffs .
9 .
I 've been sparring with # BillsMafia on social media recently about the legitimacy of Buffalo 's undefeated start .
Welp , I feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amass MVP-caliber stats while simultaneously making head-scratching plays .
And , surprisingly , this defense really has trouble closing , coughing up a 28-3 bulge Sunday before its bailout .
But at least Bills fans are smart enough to realize their team got a gift and will understand when I power rank the Rams ahead of Buffalo this week .
10 .
You coulda been a contender , Austin Ekeler , you could 've been somebody ... 11 .
I 'm worried for Bengals rookie QB Joe Burrow , who 's been sacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight takedowns by the Eagles on Sunday .
Please , David Carr , have an intervention .
11a .
I 'm worried for Eagles QB Carson Wentz , who 's thrown multiple picks in three straight games for the first time in his career .
( The last Philadelphia QB to suffer such a stretch was Ron Jaworski 35 years ago . )
Wentz had posted seven INTs in each of the previous three seasons but will match that total with one more in 2020 .
11b .
The last time the Eagles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bengals .
You 'll recall that was the game when QB Donovan McNabb did n't know the overtime rules .
11c .
This was Cincinnati 's fourth tie since 2008 ... but those are preferable to the losses Bengals fans typically endure .
12 .
It 'd be pretty cool if Cowboys pass rusher Aldon Smith , who last played in 2015 , notches comeback player of the year honors .
He sacked Wilson three times Sunday – no one in the league had more than 2½ sacks through Week 2 – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 .
How much longer before Dan Quinn pays the price for Atlanta 's disastrous 0-3 start ?
The man indelibly linked to the Falcons ' Super Bowl LI collapse has now watched his highly talented squad implode the past two weeks despite enjoying leads of at least 16 points .
Per Elias , Atlanta is the first teams in league history ( 101 seasons ) to lose twice after squandering a fourth-quarter advantage of at least 15 points .
This could get ugly – uglier – fast with a trip to Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being what it is , the Bears simultaneously became the first team in NFL annals to win two games in the same season despite entering the fourth quarter behind by at least 16 points .
13b .
Atlanta is 0-3 for the first time since 2007 , the season before QB Matt Ryan was drafted .
The other 10 times the Falcons started 0-3 , they missed postseason .
14 .
The Vikings are 0-3 for the sixth time in franchise history and first since 2013 .
They 've never recovered from such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 .
The Broncos are 0-3 in both of their seasons under Vic Fangio .
Denver has never come back from such a start ( six previous instances ) to crack the postseason field .
16 .
This is the second time in three seasons the Texans have started 0-3 .
They rebounded to win the AFC South in 2018 .
17 .
This is the Steelers ' first 3-0 start since 2010 , the last time they reached the Super Bowl .
18 .
Also , two Watts are better than one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time all three Watt brothers – T.J. and Derek of the Steelers and the Texans ' J.J. – shared the same NFL field . )
Maybe next time , you guys should just play tag ... everyone can win then .
19 .
I guess the Buccaneers ' all-pewter uniforms were sharp enough – but it really just makes you wish the NFL rules , which bar teams from using alternate helmets , were relaxed .
Can you imagine Tom Brady in the Bucco Bruce headgear and monochrome Creamsicle ?
20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming back on the Dirty Birds – thanks in large part to reliever extraordinaire Nick Foles .
Yet this is also about as flimsy a 3-0 start as any team has enjoyed in recent memory .
Given the civic state of Chicago these days , let 's just be happy for supporters of Da Bears .
20a .
Foles – who 's likely to in the lineup for quite a while – threw three fourth-quarter TD passes to complete the comeback ... two weeks after Mitch Trubisky did the same thing at Detroit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tarik Cohen may have suffered a season-ending knee injury , but good for him for signing that three-year contract extension the previous weekend .
21 .
Speaking of flimsy 3-0 starts , the Titans remain undefeated despite outscoring their opponents by a collective six points .
Good thing they 've solidified a position that undermined them last year – kicker – with Stephen Gostkowski coming up huge each week , including six field goals in Sunday 's one-point win at Minnesota .
21a .
Gostkowski became the first kicker since the 1970 merger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the final two minutes of regulation in his team 's first three games of a season .
22 .
Ca n't wait for Monday night 's heavyweight fight between the Chiefs and Ravens , the first game in NFL history to feature a pair of former league MVPs ( Patrick Mahomes , Lamar Jackson ) who are both 25 years of age or younger .
23 .
Can wait for Thursday 's lightweight bout between the Broncos and Jets , one NFL Network is attempting to hype with Denver RB Melvin Gordon 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Darnold 's `` potential . ''
24 .
Good thing NBC 's telecast is n't subject to Roger Goodell 's iron fist .
The network continues to let sideline reporters – Liam McHugh at the opener in Kansas City and Jac Collinsworth in New Orleans on Sunday – wade through attending fans without wearing a mask .
I do n't want to see you guys fined $ 100K , but let 's be smarter ?
26 .
First-round Atlanta CB A.J .
Terrell became the first player to miss a game this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that does n't necessarily mean he has the virus .
Frankly , a credit to NFL players for being so disciplined during the pandemic and surprisingly make this almost a non-issue to date in terms of availability .
27 .
The Browns are 2-1 for just the second time since 2002 , the last time Cleveland reached the playoffs , and first since 2011 .
They 've scored at least 30 points in consecutive games for the first time in a decade .
28 .
Not a very happy Ohio homecoming for former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , now of the Washington Football Team .
Young , the second pick of this year 's draft , injured his groin and was knocked out of the matchup at Cleveland early .
Haskins stuck around but committed four turnovers in a 14-point loss to the Browns .
29 .
Congrats to Panthers coach Matt Rhule , who notched his first NFL victory while putting Carolina in the win column for the first time since Week 9 of the 2019 season .
29a .
Rhule 's triumph means only the Giants ' Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's five new head coaches .
30 .
Congrats to the Lions , too , who won for the first time since Week 8 of the 2019 season .
31a .
Also , Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick quieted those clamoring for rookie Tua Tagovailoa ... while Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew , who playfully disrespected his `` very elder '' compatriot prior to Thursday night 's meeting , may have reopened the door for those who want to see Clemson 's Trevor Lawrence in DUUUVAL country next year .
31b .
Though given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Sunday 's 36-7 embarrassment at Indy – the winless Jets seem to be on the fast track for the coveted Lawrence draft posting .
32 .
Nice to see Broncos QB Blake Bortles back in the league – and maybe BB5 should be playing , too – yet so disheartening that the @ BortlesFacts Twitter feed has gone dark .
It was bad enough saying so long to @ CaptAndrewLuck .
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32 things we learned from Week 3 of the 2020 NFL season
Show Caption Hide Caption NFL Week 3 overreactions: Bears are frauds, Falcons are comical, and Packers are class of NFC SportsPulse: Week 3 had so much action we provide a jumbo sized version of overreactions this week. Mackenzie Salmon reacts to all the biggest storylines from a wild Sunday in the NFL. SportsPulse, USA TODAY
The 32 things we learned from Week 3 of the 2020 NFL season:
1. Though the political aftermath of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death will surely remain contentious, it was nice to see a bipartisan – and, it seemed, national – outpouring for the Associate Supreme Court Justice, who died Sept. 18. The "Notorious RBG" was a leading advocate for women's rights and gender equality in recent decades, so hopefully she was smiling somewhere given NFL history was made Sunday in Cleveland. The Browns-Washington game was the first to feature a female official (down judge Sarah Thomas) as well as female football staffers on each sideline, Jennifer King an intern and offensive assistant for Washington while Callie Brownson serves as Cleveland's chief of staff. Ginsburg wasn't a sports fan, but she would have certainly appreciated such progress in an industry long monopolized by men.
Making history 💪
Today's game marks the first regular-season game in @NFL history to have a female coach on both sidelines + a female official.#WASvsCLE pic.twitter.com/MlTOWHACXM — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 27, 2020
2. It's absurdly early to give Seahawks QB Russell Wilson the MVP nod – though it appears he's a near-virtual lock to at least get that elusive vote his year – but there's no denying he's the front-runner as September comes to a close. Russ has been cooking all month, becoming the first player in league history to throw at least four TD passes in the opening three games of a season.
.@Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) is the first player in @NFL history with 4+ TD passes in each of his team's first three games of a season. pic.twitter.com/4i4N7zldbM — NFL345 (@NFL345) September 27, 2020
2a. Wilson hung five more TD strikes on Dallas, including the game winner to WR DK Metcalf in the final two minutes, giving Seattle its first 3-0 start since 2013 – the only season the Seahawks finished a season with a Super Bowl victory.
2b. Wilson now has a league-best 14 TD passes (the most ever through three weeks), which puts him on pace to throw 75 – a figure that would shatter Peyton Manning's record by 20.
2c. Wilson's 76.7% completion rate and 139.0 passer rating would also establish NFL marks if they hold up all year.
2d. But beware that Seahawks defense, which has surrendered more than 450 yards and at least 25 points in all three games this season – especially problematic if S Jamal Adams' groin injury lingers.
This about to bigger than Odell and Jarvis Landry when they entered the draft . Two potential 1st round draft picks from the same school. @nfl I hope you’re ready . @olemissfb @exossports pic.twitter.com/UBEJDjZBNy — AJ Brown (@Brown1arthur) February 21, 2019
2e. So, Mr. Metcalf, what's the point of lifting all those weights if you're going to showboat like a young DeSean Jackson and give away TDs by not protecting the ball before you've actually scored? Also, you're not helping Russ' MVP credentials ...
Starting my Russ for MVP campaign today — DK Metcalf (@dkm14) September 21, 2020
2f. But at least you leveraged all those muscles to make up for your gaffe when Seattle really needed it.
3. Salutations to Colts QB Philip Rivers. He started his 227th consecutive regular-season game, a streak second only to Brett Favre's (297), and became the sixth member of the 400 touchdown pass club and sixth player to pass for 60,000 career passing yards.
3a. Indianapolis' offense accounted for 20 points Sunday, its defense accounted for 16 ... and the Jets had seven.
3b. The Jets are the only team that has not held a lead this season.
4. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott aired it out a career-high 57 times in Sunday's loss. While that might be a nice data point when his contract negotiations resume in 2021, Dallas would probably be wise to strive for much better balance than its 21 runs (6 by Prescott) against the Seahawks. The pass-heavy approach was forgivable in Week 3 considering Seattle entered the game with the league's second-ranked run defense, and it might've been easier to throw against a unit that struggles to rush the passer when starting OTs Tyron Smith and La'el Collins continue to remain unavailable.
5. Raiders coach Jon Gruden was coaching in New England for the first time since the "Tuck Rule" game, the Silver and Black's infamous loss in the 2001 playoffs and one that helped springboard the Patriots dynasty. Gruden can go back to Las Vegas content that his previously undefeated team fully earned Sunday's 36-20 defeat.
5a. Since Gruden and Bill Belichick last matched wits with these respective teams, the Patriots have won six of nine Super Bowl trips and more than 76% of their games. Meanwhile, the Raiders employed nine head coaches between Gruden's stints, reaching the playoffs twice and winnings 36% of their contests.
6. Quite the line for Buccaneers Pro Bowl WR Mike Evans, who had two catches for 2 yards ... and two TDs. Somewhere, former Tampa Bay FB Mike Alstott is beaming.
According to @EliasSports Mike Evans is the 3rd player in NFL history to finish with exactly 2 receptions for 2 yards and 2 TD.
The others with a 2-2-2 receiving line were Howard Cross (1994 Giants) and Lee Folkins (1963 Cowboys). pic.twitter.com/orUptwD5t9 — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 27, 2020
7. Weirder line for Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald, who had one reception for 0 yards on three targets.
8. Rams fans have every right to be furious given officials stole what was a deserved win at Buffalo with a highly suspect pass interference call 21 seconds away from the final gun on a play that should have sealed a 32-28 victory. Then again, the refs also gifted L.A. that trip to Super Bowl LIII, so it's still not accurate to say things have evened out.
8a. And maybe this was a justified penalty given how the Rams continue to penalize all of us with those new uniforms. Gradient never wins (cc: Jaguars, Falcons).
8b. It was Rams coach Sean McVay's first "loss" in six career 1 p.m. ET kickoffs.
9. I've been sparring with #BillsMafia on social media recently about the legitimacy of Buffalo's undefeated start. Welp, I feel justified. QB Josh Allen continues to amass MVP-caliber stats while simultaneously making head-scratching plays. And, surprisingly, this defense really has trouble closing, coughing up a 28-3 bulge Sunday before its bailout. But at least Bills fans are smart enough to realize their team got a gift and will understand when I power rank the Rams ahead of Buffalo this week.
10. You coulda been a contender, Austin Ekeler, you could've been somebody ...
Here’s the hook and ladder by the Chargers. A better pitch and he scores pic.twitter.com/NLuidzjh1D — Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) September 27, 2020
11. I'm worried for Bengals rookie QB Joe Burrow, who's been sacked 14 times in three starts – including eight takedowns by the Eagles on Sunday. Please, David Carr, have an intervention.
11a. I'm worried for Eagles QB Carson Wentz, who's thrown multiple picks in three straight games for the first time in his career. (The last Philadelphia QB to suffer such a stretch was Ron Jaworski 35 years ago.) Wentz had posted seven INTs in each of the previous three seasons but will match that total with one more in 2020.
11b. The last time the Eagles had a tie was 2008 ... to the Bengals. You'll recall that was the game when QB Donovan McNabb didn't know the overtime rules.
11c. This was Cincinnati's fourth tie since 2008 ... but those are preferable to the losses Bengals fans typically endure.
12. If Wilson falters, Aaron Rodgers is lying in wait to claim his third league MVP trophy. He has nine TD passes (against 0 INTs) and a 121.1 QB rating following Green Bay's 37-30 win at New Orleans. The Packers look like a better-balanced team than Seattle – especially when they get WR Davante Adams back – though the Seahawks' reliance on Wilson is likely to render Rodgers a dark horse when the time comes for individual accolades.
12a. Also, rumors of Drew Brees' demise have been greatly exaggerated. The Saints are going to be fine once WR Michael Thomas returns.
13. It'd be pretty cool if Cowboys DE Aldon Smith, who last played in 2015, notches comeback player of the year honors. He sacked Wilson three times Sunday – no one in the league had more than 2½ sacks through Week 2 – giving him an NFL-leading four for the season.
14. How much longer before Dan Quinn pays the price for Atlanta's disastrous 0-3 start? The man indelibly linked to the Falcons' Super Bowl LI collapse has watched his highly talented squad implode the past two weeks despite enjoying leads of at least 16 points. Per Elias, Atlanta is the first teams in league history (101 seasons) to lose twice after squandering a fourth-quarter advantage of at least 15 points. This could get ugly – uglier – fast with a trip to Green Bay up next.
14a. Symmetry being what it is, the Bears simultaneously became the first team in NFL annals to win two games in the same season despite entering the fourth quarter behind by at least 16 points.
14b. Atlanta is 0-3 for the first time since 2007, the season before QB Matt Ryan was drafted. The other 10 times the Falcons started 0-3, they missed postseason.
15. The Vikings are 0-3 for the sixth time in franchise history and first since 2013. They've never recovered from such a start to reach the playoffs.
16. The Broncos are 0-3 in both of their seasons under Vic Fangio. Denver has never come back from such a start (six previous instances) to crack the postseason field.
17. This is the second time in three seasons the Texans have started 0-3. They rebounded to win the AFC South in 2018.
18. This is the Steelers' first 3-0 start since 2010, the last time they reached the Super Bowl.
19. Also, two Watts are better than one ... sorry, J.J. (Sunday was the first time all three Watt brothers – T.J. and Derek of the Steelers and the Texans' J.J. – shared the same NFL field.) Maybe next time, you guys should just play tag ... everyone can win then.
20. I guess the Buccaneers' all-pewter uniforms were sharp enough – but it really just makes you wish the NFL rules, which bar teams from using alternate helmets, were relaxed. Can you imagine Tom Brady in the Bucco Bruce headgear and monochrome Creamsicle?
Pewter Power ‼ pic.twitter.com/LLKo8dN7Cj — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 27, 2020
21. Give the Bears deserved credit for coming back on the Dirty Birds – thanks in large part to reliever extraordinaire Nick Foles. Yet this is also about as flimsy a 3-0 start as any team has enjoyed in recent memory. In light of the civic state of Chicago these days, let's just be happy for supporters of Da Bears.
21a. Foles, who's likely to in the lineup for quite a while, threw three fourth-quarter TD passes to complete the comeback ... two weeks after Mitch Trubisky did the same thing in Detroit.
21b. Bummer that Bears RB Tarik Cohen may have suffered a season-ending knee injury, but good for him for signing that three-year contract extension the previous weekend.
22. Speaking of flimsy 3-0 starts, the Titans remain undefeated despite outscoring their opponents by a collective six points. Good thing they've solidified a position that undermined them last year – kicker – with Stephen Gostkowski coming up huge each week, including six field goals in Sunday's one-point escape at Minnesota.
22a. Gostkowski became the first kicker since the 1970 merger to drill a game-winning field goal inside the final two minutes of regulation in his team's first three games of a season.
23. Can't wait for Monday night's heavyweight fight between the Chiefs and Ravens, the first game in NFL history to feature a pair of former league MVPs (Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson) who are both 25 years of age or younger.
24. Can wait for Thursday's lightweight bout between the Broncos and Jets, one NFL Network is attempting to hype with Denver RB Melvin Gordon's "comeback" and Jets QB Sam Darnold's "potential."
25. Good thing NBC's telecast isn't subject to Roger Goodell's iron fist. The network continues to let sideline reporters – Liam McHugh at the opener in Kansas City and Jac Collinsworth in New Orleans on Sunday – wade through attending fans without wearing a mask. I don't want to see you guys fined $100K, but let's be smarter?
26. Rookie Atlanta CB A.J. Terrell became the first player to miss a game this season while on the reserve/COVID-19 list, though that doesn't necessarily mean he has the virus. Frankly, a credit to NFL players for being so disciplined during the pandemic and surprisingly make this almost a non-issue to date in terms of availability.
27. San Francisco's backups 2, New York 0.
28. The Browns are 2-1 for just the second time since 2002, the last time Cleveland reached the playoffs, and first since 2011. They've scored at least 30 points in consecutive games for the first time in a decade.
28a. Not a very happy Ohio homecoming for former Buckeyes stars Dwayne Haskins and Chase Young, now of the Washington Football Team. Young, the second pick of this year's draft, injured his groin and was knocked out of the matchup at Cleveland early. Haskins stuck around but committed four turnovers in a 14-point loss to the Browns.
29. Congrats to Panthers coach Matt Rhule, who notched his first NFL victory while putting Carolina in the win column for the first time since Week 9 of the 2019 season.
29a. Rhule's triumph means only the Giants' Joe Judge is still winless among this season's five new head coaches.
30. Congrats to the Lions, too, who won for the first time since Week 8 of the 2019 season.
31. Beard > Mustache
Thursday Night Football is a FACIAL HAIR FACE OFF 😤 pic.twitter.com/8nKE0CeCwI — The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) September 24, 2020
31a. Also, Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick quieted those clamoring for rookie Tua Tagovailoa ... while Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew, who playfully disrespected his "very elder" compatriot prior to Thursday night's meeting, may have reopened the door for those who want to see Clemson's Trevor Lawrence in DUUUVAL country next year.
31b. Though given the way Darnold is playing – two pick-sixes in Sunday's 36-7 embarrassment at Indy – the winless Jets seem to be on the fast track for the coveted Lawrence draft post.
32. Nice to see Broncos QB Blake Bortles back in the league – and maybe BB5 should be playing, too – yet so disheartening that the @BortlesFacts Twitter feed has gone dark ... it was bad enough saying so long to @CaptAndrewLuck.
***
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis
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usatoday--2020-09-27--'This is all about your healthcare': Biden says Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to end Affordable

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden argued Sunday that President Donald Trump ’ s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court less than 40 days before the election is all about getting rid of Obamacare .
In a speech in Wilmington , Delaware , the former vice president decried the decision to nominate Barrett `` before Justice Ginsburg could be laid to rest '' and `` after hundreds of thousands of Americans have already cast their ballots . ''
And he painted the push to confirm Barrett quickly as a clear attempt to undermine former President Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's no mystery about what 's happening here .
President Trump was trying to throw out the Affordable Care Act .
He 's been trying to do it for the last four years , '' Biden said in a speech in Wilmington , Delaware .
`` The Republican Party has been trying to eliminate it for a decade .
Twice already , the Supreme Court has upheld that law . ''
`` Now , all of a sudden this administration believes they found a loophole : the tragedy of Justice Ginsburg 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Health care law faces another Supreme Court showdown , this time without Justice Ginsburg 's vote Barrett ’ s nomination raised concerns about her possible impact on health care , especially the Affordable Care Act , which is slated to come before the court one week after the November election .
If Barrett is confirmed before Election Day , she could be on the bench to hear the case , which could lead to the entire law being tosses , along with protections for preexisting conditions .
`` This is about your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the ACA will exist .
This is about whether or not preexisting conditions will be continued to be covered .
This is about whether or not a woman can be charged more for the same procedure as a man .
This is about people 's health care in the middle of a pandemic , '' Biden said Sunday .
Early Sunday , Trump tweeted , `` Obamacare will be replaced with a MUCH better , and FAR cheaper , alternative if it is terminated in the Supreme Court .
Would be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite his promise of a health care alternative to the ACA , Trump has not released any specifics of his plan .
During an ABC News townhall , Trump told ABC host George Stephanopoulous that `` You 're going to have new healthcare , and the preexisting condition aspect of it will always be in my plan , '' but , again , failed to mention any specifics .
Biden 's remarks Sunday echoed what he said in a Philadelphia campaign appearance earlier this month , when he warned , `` Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strip health coverage away from tens of millions of families and to strip away the peace of mind from more than 100 million people with preexisting conditions . ''
On Saturday , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , sent a letter to Senate Democrats about Barrett 's nomination , telling them the best way to fight back is to focus on health care .
`` Our number one job is to communicate exactly what is at stake for the American people if Republicans jam through this nominee , '' Schumer wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Affordable Care Act is at the top of the list .
The most immediate and consequential issue at stake in this Supreme Court vacancy is the future of the Affordable Care Act , which hangs in the balance . ''
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , echoed similar sentiments on CNN 's `` State of the Union '' Sunday morning .
`` What I am concerned about is anyone that President Trump would have appointed was there to undo the Affordable Care Act .
That is why he was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been in place for the oral arguments which begin Nov. 10 , '' Pelosi told host Jake Tapper .
If confirmed , Barrett would give conservatives on the court a 6-3 advantage and have a lasting effect on issues such as abortion and gun rights , in addition to health care .
Her nomination itself has also been highly controversial because in 2016 Senate Republicans blocked then-President Barack Obama ’ s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland on the grounds that it came too close to the election .
Democrats have accused Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which occurred nearly eight months before the 2016 election , but approving of Barrett 's nomination , which occurred little more than five weeks before the 2020 election .
More : Protesters gather outside McConnell 's home on day Trump expected to make Supreme Court nomination Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , and then-Chairman of the Judiciary Committee Sen. Chuck Grassley , R-Iowa , wrote in an opinion piece in 2016 the Washington Post that “ Given that we are in the midst of the presidential election process , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opportunity to weigh in on whom they trust to nominate the next person for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.
” More : Then and now : What McConnell , others said about Merrick Garland in 2016 vs. after Ginsburg 's death However , 46 days before the 2020 presidential election McConnell said , `` President Trump ’ s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate , ” a reversal from his position four years ago .
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted between September 19-20 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the winner of the November election should appoint the replacement for the vacant seat .
Forty-nine percent of Republicans and 84 % of Democrats are included in that majority of Americans .

'This is all about your healthcare': Biden says Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to end Affordable Care Act
Show Caption Hide Caption Biden calls Barrett a threat to the Affordable Care Act Biden calls President Trump's Supreme Court nominee a threat to the ACA, says the Senate should wait until after the election before holding hearings. Associated Press
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden argued Sunday that President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court less than 40 days before the election is all about getting rid of Obamacare.
In a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, the former vice president decried the decision to nominate Barrett "before Justice Ginsburg could be laid to rest" and "after hundreds of thousands of Americans have already cast their ballots."
And he painted the push to confirm Barrett quickly as a clear attempt to undermine former President Barack Obama's signature health care law.
"It's no mystery about what's happening here. President Trump was trying to throw out the Affordable Care Act. He's been trying to do it for the last four years," Biden said in a speech in Wilmington, Delaware. "The Republican Party has been trying to eliminate it for a decade. Twice already, the Supreme Court has upheld that law."
"Now, all of a sudden this administration believes they found a loophole: the tragedy of Justice Ginsburg's death," Biden said.
More: Health care law faces another Supreme Court showdown, this time without Justice Ginsburg's vote
Trump officially nominated Barrett, a federal appeals court judge, Saturday in the White House Rose Garden.
Barrett’s nomination raised concerns about her possible impact on health care, especially the Affordable Care Act, which is slated to come before the court one week after the November election. If Barrett is confirmed before Election Day, she could be on the bench to hear the case, which could lead to the entire law being tosses, along with protections for preexisting conditions.
"This is about your healthcare. This is about whether or not the ACA will exist. This is about whether or not preexisting conditions will be continued to be covered. This is about whether or not a woman can be charged more for the same procedure as a man. This is about people's health care in the middle of a pandemic," Biden said Sunday.
More: Six conservative justices? 10 ways the Supreme Court could change
Early Sunday, Trump tweeted, "Obamacare will be replaced with a MUCH better, and FAR cheaper, alternative if it is terminated in the Supreme Court. Would be a big WIN for the USA!" Despite his promise of a health care alternative to the ACA, Trump has not released any specifics of his plan.
During an ABC News townhall, Trump told ABC host George Stephanopoulous that "You're going to have new healthcare, and the preexisting condition aspect of it will always be in my plan," but, again, failed to mention any specifics.
Biden's remarks Sunday echoed what he said in a Philadelphia campaign appearance earlier this month, when he warned, "Donald Trump is at the Supreme Court trying to strip health coverage away from tens of millions of families and to strip away the peace of mind from more than 100 million people with preexisting conditions."
On Saturday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., sent a letter to Senate Democrats about Barrett's nomination, telling them the best way to fight back is to focus on health care.
"Our number one job is to communicate exactly what is at stake for the American people if Republicans jam through this nominee," Schumer wrote in his email. "The elimination of the Affordable Care Act is at the top of the list. The most immediate and consequential issue at stake in this Supreme Court vacancy is the future of the Affordable Care Act, which hangs in the balance."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., echoed similar sentiments on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday morning.
"What I am concerned about is anyone that President Trump would have appointed was there to undo the Affordable Care Act. That is why he was in such a hurry, so he could have been in place for the oral arguments which begin Nov. 10," Pelosi told host Jake Tapper.
If confirmed, Barrett would give conservatives on the court a 6-3 advantage and have a lasting effect on issues such as abortion and gun rights, in addition to health care.
Her nomination itself has also been highly controversial because in 2016 Senate Republicans blocked then-President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland on the grounds that it came too close to the election. Democrats have accused Republicans of hypocrisy for objecting to that nomination, which occurred nearly eight months before the 2016 election, but approving of Barrett's nomination, which occurred little more than five weeks before the 2020 election.
More: Protesters gather outside McConnell's home on day Trump expected to make Supreme Court nomination
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and then-Chairman of the Judiciary Committee Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote in an opinion piece in 2016 the Washington Post that “Given that we are in the midst of the presidential election process, we believe that the American people should seize the opportunity to weigh in on whom they trust to nominate the next person for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.”
More: Then and now: What McConnell, others said about Merrick Garland in 2016 vs. after Ginsburg's death
However, 46 days before the 2020 presidential election McConnell said, "President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate,” a reversal from his position four years ago.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted between September 19-20, found that 62% of Americans believe that the winner of the November election should appoint the replacement for the vacant seat. Forty-nine percent of Republicans and 84% of Democrats are included in that majority of Americans.


usatoday--2020-09-28--Coronavirus updates: New York City principals union wants state to take over schools; WHO says mass

The leader of New York City 's school principals union said Sunday that he has no confidence in Mayor Bill de Blasio 's plan to begin in-person education this week and wants the state to take control .
In Minnesota , an ambitious effort to learn more about the spread of COVID-19 has been shut down amid claims of harassment and ethnic slurs , while the latest effort in North Carolina to make voting easier during the pandemic is facing a court challenge .
The reelection committee of President Donald Trump is among groups that have filed suit claiming North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absentee ballots with deficient information to be fixed without need for a new ballot — `` undermine protections '' that make voting safe in the state .
North Carolina and other states expect a major surge in absentee voting for the Nov. 3 election amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
More than 1 million voters in North Carolina already have requested an absentee ballot .
• Wisconsin on Saturday hit a record for coronavirus cases reported in a single day .
The state has seen some of the nation ’ s fastest coronavirus spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London police clashed with demonstrators protesting virus restrictions on Saturday as the government tries to stem a sharp rise in infections there .
• Areas with high numbers of Black and non-white Latino residents had higher infection rates than mostly white communities , a study on herd immunity found .
📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has reported more than 7.1 million cases and 204,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
Globally , there have been almost 33 million cases and nearly 1 million fatalities .
📰 What we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests were supposed to help get the spread of the virus under control .
But no company has been cleared to sell tests directly yet .
🗺 Mapping coronavirus : Track the U.S. outbreak , state by state .
This file will be updated throughout the day .
For updates in your inbox , subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter .
Principals leader : NYC does n't have enough teachers for classes this week The leader of the New York City union representing its principals on Sunday urged the state to take control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de Blasio .
Mark Cannizzaro , president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators , expressed concern with the mayor 's plan under which most of the city 's 1.1 million students would begin reporting to classrooms this week .
Cannizzaro told The New York Times the city does n't have enough teachers to staff schools .
But he also said principals have no plans to strike .
“ I think parents should be confident that any child that arrives at a building will be given the utmost care , ” Cannizzaro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast a unanimous vote of no confidence ; city school officials said plans for elementary school students to return to classes Tuesday and middle and high schoolers to go back Thursday remain in place .
Israeli leader asks that government be forgiven 'for not doing enough' Israel was marking Yom Kippur , among the most holy of Jewish holidays , on Sunday evening in virtual lockdown amid a spike in COVID-19 cases among the worst in the world .
The nation of 9 million people is struggling with about 7,000 new cases daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown in the spring dropped new cases to a handful per day .
But schools and businesses reopened and the outbreak raced out of control .
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin now has called on people to light a candle in memory of the more than 1,400 Israelis who have died .
“ They were all loved , all known , all had names and faces , ” he said .
“ May we be forgiven for the sin of weakness and inability , for not doing enough , for not managing to save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were lost.
” WHO : People will probably start getting vaccinated in mid-2021 Mass vaccinations for COVID-19 are n't likely before next summer , World Health Organization Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said Sunday .
Swaminathan said the ideal vaccine would protect at least 70 % of those who are vaccinated , but that a minimum standard is 50 % .
The ideal vaccine would require only one shot and last for several years , she said .
Most of what she said parallels predictions made by Dr. Anthony Fauci and other top U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start getting the vaccine ... it would be somewhere in the middle of 2021 , '' she said .
More than 125,000 workers will be able to return to their jobs Monday as Melbourne , Australia 's second-largest city , relaxes lockdown restrictions imposed in early August after a surge in coronavirus cases .
Elementary school children will be allowed back in the classrooms the week of Oct. 12 .
Melbourne and surrounding parts of rural Victoria state were placed under strict “ Level 4 ” lockdowns on Aug. 2 , closing schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curfew and prohibiting public gatherings .
Some of those restrictions were lifted Sunday , but gatherings will be severely limited -- even those held outdoors for religious purposes -- and fines for those breaking the rules will be increased to nearly $ 5,000 , Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said .
A new study found that sparrows in San Francisco altered their birdsong to sound more appealing to mates after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city .
The study , published Thursday in the peer-reviewed journal Science , analyzed the birdsong of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the San Francisco Bay Area .
The birds , as a result of a quieter city , began singing more quietly , hitting lower notes and improving their vocal performance .
Elizabeth Derryberry , a behavioral ecologist at the University of Tennessee , told AFP that the birds `` sounded better , they sounded sexier '' to mates .
As many as 19,000 American Airlines employees face layoff within days unless federal lawmakers extend a payroll support program that expires Thursday , American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said Sunday .
That number could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the industry , Parker warned on CBS 's Face the Nation .
Previous stimulus packages have provided loans and the payroll program to airlines , but negotiations on a new package have stalled in Congress .
`` Back in March we all thought demand would be back and we would n't need support at this time , '' Parker said .
`` Unfortunately , that is not the case .
Maryland man sentenced to year in jail for throwing parties during ban A Maryland man who held at least two large parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison after being convicted on two counts of failure to comply with Gov .
Larry Hogan 's emergency order banning large gatherings .
Police responded to a report of a large party at Shawn Marshall Myers ' home on March 22 .
He eventually agreed to end the party , but police were summoned again five days later .
Officers again told Myers , 42 , to disband the party , but Myers claimed he and his guests had the right to congregate and directed his guests to stay .
`` Officers tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooperation , to no avail , '' and he was arrested , prosecutors said .
He was convicted and sentenced Friday .
The CDC and the Minnesota Health Department have halted a door-to-door COVID-19 testing survey because of multiple incidents of residents `` intimidating and shouting racial and ethnic slurs '' at state and federal public health survey teams , the state Health Department says .
In one incident in the town of Eitzen , a survey team at one home was blocked by two cars and threatened by three men , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state health officials .
Frustration with the state 's pandemic response `` is totally understandable , '' Dr. Ruth Lynfield , state epidemiologist , told the Minneapolis Star Tribune .
`` That is distinctly different than taking out frustration on another human being who is trying to help , and is especially galling when there is a taint of racism . ''
Eitzen Mayor Jeff Adamson disputed the claims and said city officials were n't informed about survey teams working in the community .
Economists call for lockdown in France to 'save Christmas' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide lockdown for the first three weeks of December to “ save Christmas '' by allowing families to gather without fear of spreading the virus .
Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee said people should be encouraged to holiday shop in November .
France is struggling with a rising tide of infections , and hospitals in the Paris and Marseille regions are delaying some scheduled operations to free up space for COVID-19 patients .
Restaurants and bars in Marseille are beginning a one-week shutdown , but Health Minister Olivier Veran says there is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December .
Wisconsin cases , hospitalizations balloon – and it 's not just young people The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin is climbing at an alarming rate : The state health department reported another single-day record of new cases on Saturday .
The 2,817 positive cases made up 22.4 % of test results reported by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services – anything over 5 % is considered high .
The average number of new daily cases over the last seven days was higher than ever Saturday at 2,012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the increasing numbers are n't just about young people returning to schools , experts say .
“ The surges are in Green Bay , in northeastern Wisconsin , and there ’ s a little evidence of an uptick in Milwaukee , ” Ajay Sethi , an epidemiology professor at the University of Wisconsin , told The Atlantic .
“ A lot of these counties are where older individuals live , on average.
” President Donald Trump ’ s campaign committee and the Republican National Committee have sued to block North Carolina election officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of ballots counted in the presidential battleground state .
The suit claims a new system adopted by the State Board of Elections will allow for absentee ballots to be cast late and without proper witness verification , “ which invites fraud , coercion , theft , and otherwise illegitimate voting.
” “ While touted as allowing greater access to voters during the current pandemic ... the actual effect is to undermine protections that help ensure the upcoming election will be ... secure , fair , and credible , ” the suit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins data through late Saturday shows six states set records for new cases in the latest seven-day period while two states had a record number of deaths in a week .
New case records were set in Minnesota , Montana , North Dakota , South Dakota , Wisconsin and Wyoming .
Record numbers of deaths were reported in Missouri and North Dakota .
Despite concerns , China pushes emergency use of vaccine Thousands of people have been given Chinese vaccines before final regulatory approval for general use – an unusual move that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies earlier drew attention for giving the vaccine to their top executives and leading researchers before human trials to test their safety and efficacy had even begun .
In recent months , they have injected a far larger number under an emergency use designation approved in June , and that number appears poised to rise .
A Chinese health official said Friday that China , which has largely eradicated the disease , needs to take steps to prevent it from coming back .
Woman held against her will in quarantine , Guam judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has determined that the Department of Public Health and Social Services did not follow the law when quarantining travelers after multiple passengers filed legal action against the government 's quarantine policy .
After hearing from people held in the facility , Superior Court of Guam Judge Elyze Iriarte determined some passengers did not quarantine voluntarily , and the department held one woman against her will .
“ For at least 10 days , she was confined against her will without a meaningful and prompt opportunity to be heard regarding such confinement and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Iriarte wrote in her decision to release the woman and her children from the government facility .
A newly updated quarantine policy says everyone entering the island by land or sea is subject to a 14-day quarantine , and all passengers go to a government of Guam facility unless `` the individual qualified for quarantine at an approved rental lodging or personal residence as authorized by ( Public Health ) . ''
• In your inbox : Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter .
• On Facebook : A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19 .
• Tips for coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times .
Sign up for Staying Apart , @ @

Coronavirus updates: New York City principals union wants state to take over schools; WHO says mass vaccinations not likely until mid-2021
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 testing: Positivity rates and why they are so important COVID-19 widespread testing is crucial to fighting the pandemic, but is there enough testing? The answer is in the positivity rates. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The leader of New York City's school principals union said Sunday that he has no confidence in Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to begin in-person education this week and wants the state to take control.
In Minnesota, an ambitious effort to learn more about the spread of COVID-19 has been shut down amid claims of harassment and ethnic slurs, while the latest effort in North Carolina to make voting easier during the pandemic is facing a court challenge.
The reelection committee of President Donald Trump is among groups that have filed suit claiming North Carolina's new rules — allowing mail-in absentee ballots with deficient information to be fixed without need for a new ballot — "undermine protections" that make voting safe in the state. North Carolina and other states expect a major surge in absentee voting for the Nov. 3 election amid the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1 million voters in North Carolina already have requested an absentee ballot.
Some significant developments:
Wisconsin on Saturday hit a record for coronavirus cases reported in a single day. The state has seen some of the nation’s fastest coronavirus spread over the last two weeks.
London police clashed with demonstrators protesting virus restrictions on Saturday as the government tries to stem a sharp rise in infections there.
Areas with high numbers of Black and non-white Latino residents had higher infection rates than mostly white communities, a study on herd immunity found.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 7.1 million cases and 204,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Globally, there have been almost 33 million cases and nearly 1 million fatalities.
📰 What we're reading: Rapid, cheap home tests were supposed to help get the spread of the virus under control. But no company has been cleared to sell tests directly yet.
🗺 Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak, state by state.
This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter.
The leader of the New York City union representing its principals on Sunday urged the state to take control of the school system from Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Mark Cannizzaro, president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, expressed concern with the mayor's plan under which most of the city's 1.1 million students would begin reporting to classrooms this week. Cannizzaro told The New York Times the city doesn't have enough teachers to staff schools. But he also said principals have no plans to strike.
“I think parents should be confident that any child that arrives at a building will be given the utmost care,” Cannizzaro said. The union's executive board cast a unanimous vote of no confidence; city school officials said plans for elementary school students to return to classes Tuesday and middle and high schoolers to go back Thursday remain in place.
Israel was marking Yom Kippur, among the most holy of Jewish holidays, on Sunday evening in virtual lockdown amid a spike in COVID-19 cases among the worst in the world. The nation of 9 million people is struggling with about 7,000 new cases daily, stressing the hospital system. A lockdown in the spring dropped new cases to a handful per day. But schools and businesses reopened and the outbreak raced out of control. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin now has called on people to light a candle in memory of the more than 1,400 Israelis who have died.
“They were all loved, all known, all had names and faces,” he said. “May we be forgiven for the sin of weakness and inability, for not doing enough, for not managing to save them. Because of that, lives were lost.”
Mass vaccinations for COVID-19 aren't likely before next summer, World Health Organization Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said Sunday. Swaminathan said the ideal vaccine would protect at least 70% of those who are vaccinated, but that a minimum standard is 50%. The ideal vaccine would require only one shot and last for several years, she said. Most of what she said parallels predictions made by Dr. Anthony Fauci and other top U.S. experts.
"By the time people start getting the vaccine ... it would be somewhere in the middle of 2021," she said.
More than 125,000 workers will be able to return to their jobs Monday as Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, relaxes lockdown restrictions imposed in early August after a surge in coronavirus cases. Elementary school children will be allowed back in the classrooms the week of Oct. 12.
Melbourne and surrounding parts of rural Victoria state were placed under strict “Level 4” lockdowns on Aug. 2, closing schools and non-essential businesses, imposing a nighttime curfew and prohibiting public gatherings.
Some of those restrictions were lifted Sunday, but gatherings will be severely limited -- even those held outdoors for religious purposes -- and fines for those breaking the rules will be increased to nearly $5,000, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said.
A new study found that sparrows in San Francisco altered their birdsong to sound more appealing to mates after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city. The study, published Thursday in the peer-reviewed journal Science, analyzed the birdsong of the white-crowned sparrow, a bird common in the San Francisco Bay Area. The birds, as a result of a quieter city, began singing more quietly, hitting lower notes and improving their vocal performance. Elizabeth Derryberry, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Tennessee, told AFP that the birds "sounded better, they sounded sexier" to mates.
– Joshua Bote
As many as 19,000 American Airlines employees face layoff within days unless federal lawmakers extend a payroll support program that expires Thursday, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said Sunday. That number could expand to 100,000 "aviation professionals" across the industry, Parker warned on CBS's Face the Nation. Previous stimulus packages have provided loans and the payroll program to airlines, but negotiations on a new package have stalled in Congress.
"Back in March we all thought demand would be back and we wouldn't need support at this time," Parker said. "Unfortunately, that is not the case.
A Maryland man who held at least two large parties in March is facing a year in prison after being convicted on two counts of failure to comply with Gov. Larry Hogan's emergency order banning large gatherings. Police responded to a report of a large party at Shawn Marshall Myers' home on March 22. He eventually agreed to end the party, but police were summoned again five days later. Officers again told Myers, 42, to disband the party, but Myers claimed he and his guests had the right to congregate and directed his guests to stay.
"Officers tried to reason with Myers and obtain his cooperation, to no avail," and he was arrested, prosecutors said. He was convicted and sentenced Friday.
The CDC and the Minnesota Health Department have halted a door-to-door COVID-19 testing survey because of multiple incidents of residents "intimidating and shouting racial and ethnic slurs" at state and federal public health survey teams, the state Health Department says. In one incident in the town of Eitzen, a survey team at one home was blocked by two cars and threatened by three men, including one with a gun, according to state health officials.
Frustration with the state's pandemic response "is totally understandable," Dr. Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "That is distinctly different than taking out frustration on another human being who is trying to help, and is especially galling when there is a taint of racism."
Eitzen Mayor Jeff Adamson disputed the claims and said city officials weren't informed about survey teams working in the community.
Two Nobel Prize-winning economists are lobbying for nationwide lockdown for the first three weeks of December to “save Christmas" by allowing families to gather without fear of spreading the virus. Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee said people should be encouraged to holiday shop in November. France is struggling with a rising tide of infections, and hospitals in the Paris and Marseille regions are delaying some scheduled operations to free up space for COVID-19 patients. Restaurants and bars in Marseille are beginning a one-week shutdown, but Health Minister Olivier Veran says there is no plan for a nationwide lockdown now or in December.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin is climbing at an alarming rate: The state health department reported another single-day record of new cases on Saturday. The 2,817 positive cases made up 22.4% of test results reported by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services – anything over 5% is considered high. The average number of new daily cases over the last seven days was higher than ever Saturday at 2,012. Hospitalizations are also rising. And the increasing numbers aren't just about young people returning to schools, experts say.
“The surges are in Green Bay, in northeastern Wisconsin, and there’s a little evidence of an uptick in Milwaukee,” Ajay Sethi, an epidemiology professor at the University of Wisconsin, told The Atlantic. “A lot of these counties are where older individuals live, on average.”
– Natalie Brophy
President Donald Trump’s campaign committee and the Republican National Committee have sued to block North Carolina election officials from enforcing rule changes that could boost the number of ballots counted in the presidential battleground state. The suit claims a new system adopted by the State Board of Elections will allow for absentee ballots to be cast late and without proper witness verification, “which invites fraud, coercion, theft, and otherwise illegitimate voting.”
“While touted as allowing greater access to voters during the current pandemic ... the actual effect is to undermine protections that help ensure the upcoming election will be ... secure, fair, and credible,” the suit says.
A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Saturday shows six states set records for new cases in the latest seven-day period while two states had a record number of deaths in a week. New case records were set in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Record numbers of deaths were reported in Missouri and North Dakota.
– Michael Stucka
Thousands of people have been given Chinese vaccines before final regulatory approval for general use – an unusual move that raises ethical and safety questions. Chinese companies earlier drew attention for giving the vaccine to their top executives and leading researchers before human trials to test their safety and efficacy had even begun. In recent months, they have injected a far larger number under an emergency use designation approved in June, and that number appears poised to rise. A Chinese health official said Friday that China, which has largely eradicated the disease, needs to take steps to prevent it from coming back.
A Superior Court judge in Guam has determined that the Department of Public Health and Social Services did not follow the law when quarantining travelers after multiple passengers filed legal action against the government's quarantine policy.
After hearing from people held in the facility, Superior Court of Guam Judge Elyze Iriarte determined some passengers did not quarantine voluntarily, and the department held one woman against her will.
“For at least 10 days, she was confined against her will without a meaningful and prompt opportunity to be heard regarding such confinement and not advised of her right to counsel,” Iriarte wrote in her decision to release the woman and her children from the government facility.
A newly updated quarantine policy says everyone entering the island by land or sea is subject to a 14-day quarantine, and all passengers go to a government of Guam facility unless "the individual qualified for quarantine at an approved rental lodging or personal residence as authorized by (Public Health)."
– Jasmine Stole Weiss, Pacific Daily News
COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY
In your inbox: Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter .
Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. . On Facebook: A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. Join our Facebook group, Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.
A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19. Tips for coping: Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. Sign up for Staying Apart, Together.
Contributing: The Associated Press