Monday, May 23rd, 2022
Rare Michigan Tornado, Monkeypox Outbreak Explained & ‘Early Voting’ Surprise
All the news you need in about 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by Rothys.com/newsworthy and Pampers.com
Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want to review the latest happenings...
Deadly Michigan Tornado
People in parts of northern Michigan are cleaning up from a rare, powerful tornado. The storm tore through the city of Gaylord, about 2.5 hours north of Lansing. Sadly, it caused two deaths, dozens of injuries, and widespread damage. The National Weather Service says Michigan usually only gets about 15 tornadoes a year, and those usually happen further south. They’re also not typically quite this strong. With Friday’s tornado, homes were crushed, roofs were ripped off buildings, traffic lights stopped working, and powerlines and trees were knocked down.
Read More: Detroit Free Press, Weather Channel, WaPo, AP, Gov. Whitmer, NWS
Southern Baptist Sex Abuse Report
A new report uncovered some disturbing allegations about a prominent Christian church. The leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention released the results of an independent investigation. It found sex abuse survivors were often ignored, minimized, and “even vilified” by top clergy in the church over the last two decades. It also says the alleged abusers were protected or supported by leaders. The current SBC president responded to the report, saying Southern Baptists should prepare to see their denomination change its culture and implement reforms. The convention’s next meeting is scheduled for next month.
Read More: Houston Chronicle, WaPo, AP, NY Times, Fox News, Full Report
Lifting Title 42 Blocked
There was supposed to be a big change in policy at the U.S.-Mexico border today, but it’s not happening anymore. A federal judge blocked Title 42 from being lifted. That’s the rule that lets border officials turn away most undocumented adults right away. The Biden administration planned to lift it because CDC guidelines changed. However, the judge agreed with states who sued over it, saying it would have caused “irreparable harm” because it would have caused an immigration rush, and states would have been forced to spend money on services for migrants. The U.S. Justice Department has already filed an appeal.
Read More: Texas Tribune, CBS News, Fox News, WSJ, DOJ,
Biden’s Asian Trip Update
President Biden wrapped up his trip to South Korea. While there, he visited a military base where thousands of American and South Korean service members are monitoring a nuclear threat from North Korea. President Biden and his South Korean counterpart said they’re considering expanding joining military exercises to deter that threat. Biden also spoke about strengthening the American economy by convincing foreign companies to invest in the U.S. Today, President Biden is in Japan. He’s set to meet with Japan’s prime minister and lay out his vision for a new trade agreement.
Read More: AP, WSJ, WaPo, White House
New Monkeypox Cases
Health experts are trying to get to the bottom of the spread of a rare, but sometimes serious, disease. More than 100 monkeypox cases are now under investigation across 12 countries in Europe and North America. Typically, monkeypox cases only turn up in Africa. However, infectious disease experts say they aren’t likely to cause a global pandemic like Covid-19. Usually, you only get it if you are in close contact with someone else who has it. Symptoms start with a fever, fatigue, and body aches. Then, a widespread rash can develop on the face and body. Some people die from it, but most recover within 2-4 weeks.
Read More: Axios, Stat, CNN, Fox News, NPR, WHO
US Orders Monkeypox Vaccine
Even though there have only been three reported cases of monkeypox in the United States, the federal government is preparing. Last week, vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic said it got an order worth nearly $120 million from the U.S. government. Now, it’s sending 13 million freeze-dried doses of its shots that work against both monkeypox and smallpox. The same company has also reportedly gotten orders from Europe.
Read More: Newsweek, NY Post, Fortune, Bavarian Nordic
Next Baby Formula Shipment
A military plane carrying 78,000 pounds of specialty infant formula from overseas has landed in the U.S. It’s the first shipment from the government’s Operation Fly Formula in response to the critical nationwide shortage. The shipment landed in Indianapolis, and it’s enough to fill more than half a million baby bottles. It's a prescription formula meant for babies who are allergic to cow’s milk. The White House says more formula should show up in stores as early as next week since there’s another shipment expected to land in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.
Read More: CNBC, ABC News, Reuters, Fox News, White House, @WhiteHouse
Biden Signs Baby Formula Bill
Congress passed, and President Biden signed a bill meant to make it easier for families in need to find baby formula. Democrats and Republicans came together for it. It waives some of the requirements for families taking part in a government nutrition program for women, infants, and children, known as WIC. Families in the government program buy about half of the baby formula in the U.S. The shortage is happening because of product recalls and a manufacturing plant shutting down over safety concerns, as well as other supply chain issues.
Read More: The Hill, CNN, Bloomberg, White House
Peanut Butter Recall
Thousands of Jif peanut butter jars have been recalled, and customers are being urged to throw the jars away. The recall includes several varieties of the popular peanut butter brand: creamy, crunchy, natural, and more. They were sold in stores across the country. The reason for the recall is an outbreak of salmonella linked to a manufacturing facility in Kentucky. The CDC says more than a dozen people have gotten sick, and at least two people have had to be hospitalized. Salmonella can cause an illness that shows up 12-72 hours later. Most people will recover in several days.
Read More: NPR, Fox Business, CNN
Details of Recall: FDA, JM Smucker
PGA Championship Winner
In golf, Justin Thomas won his second PGA Championship. He did it by rallying from seven shots behind, forcing a playoff with Will Zalatoris. In the end, Thomas won by one shot. One thing a lot of people noticed about the PGA Championship yesterday was that the final round happened without 15-time major champion Tiger Woods since he withdrew after the third round. On Saturday, Woods recorded his worst score ever in a PGA Championship. He was reportedly feeling a lot of pain in his right leg, which was seriously damaged in a car crash 15 months ago.
Read More: CBS Sports, ESPN, SI, WaPo, Bleacher Report, AP
Early Voting Wins Preakness Stakes
A horse named Early Voting won the second Triple Crown race of the year, the Preakness Stakes. He crossed the finish line with a comfortable lead over the second-place horse, who was also the favorite, Epicenter. Early Voting didn’t race at the Kentucky Derby to get ready for the Preakness. Meanwhile, the horse who won the Kentucky Derby didn’t race at Preakness to get ready for the next one, the Belmont Stakes next month. We still don’t know if Early Voting and Rich Strike will end up going up against each other.
Read More: USA Today, NBC News, Fox News, NPR, SI
Money Monday: Babysitting Rates Skyrocket
The rates for a babysitter keep going up. Child care marketplace Care.Com says babysitters on its site are charging an average of $18.05 an hour, even for just one child. That’s nearly $3 an hour more than in 2020. In some parts of the country, teen babysitters are charging upwards of $30 an hour. They can reportedly charge more because babysitters are a scarce commodity. A daycare worker shortage has left parents scrambling to make other arrangements. There’s also a lot of competition for teenage workers since other jobs are paying them more, too. However, a lot of parents think the price is worth it since so many of them are ready to return to their office jobs and social lives.
Read More: NBC News, WSJ, Business Insider, Axios