Friday, May 28th, 2021
Biden’s Big Budget, Vaccine Lotteries & Memorial Day Weekend
All the news you need in around 10 min:
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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 reading the latest happenings...
Biden Budget Proposal
Today, President Biden is expected to lay out the first budget proposal of his presidency. It’s a request to lay out his priorities for next year, and it’s up to Congress to make the proposal a reality or to come up with a new plan. Several news outlets cite sources who say it will be worth $6 trillion overall. To pay for this, Biden wants to bring more money in, mostly with higher taxes on the richest Americans and corporations. However, if his budget were to pass, the nation’s debt would also rise to the highest level ever. Democrats in Congress have said all of Biden’s proposals are necessary, while many Republicans say all this extra spending is going to damage the economy.
Read More: WSJ, WaPo, AP, NY Times
Tacoma Officers Charged in Manuel Ellis Death
Three police officers are now charged with the death of Manuel Ellis, a black man who died in custody back in March of 2020. The incident happened when Ellis was walking home and the officers said they saw Ellis hassling someone in a passing car. What happened next is unclear. The officers say Ellis attacked them, but two witnesses say Ellis never got violent. Ever since this happened, the officers have been on paid leave. Now two of the officers are charged with murder and the third is charged with manslaughter. Their first court hearings are set for today. If they are convicted, they could face up to life in prison.
Read More: Seattle Times, AP, Axios, Washington AG, Police Union
DR Congo Volcano Eruptions
Several thousands of people are now scrambling to get away from Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The volcano first erupted a few days ago, killing more than two dozen people and destroying several communities. Scientists and local authorities say it could erupt again at any moment, so they ordered as many as one million people to evacuate. Tens of thousands of people have already begun leaving, trying to get out before it’s too late.
Read More: NY Times, CNN, Al Jazeera, UN
Worldwide Covid Outbreaks
Data from John Hopkins University shows the number of new COVID-19 infections reported in the first few months of 2021 is higher than the number of cases reported in all of 2020. That’s driven largely by big outbreaks this year in India and Brazil, as well as smaller Asian countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. While the U.S. has reported more cases and deaths than anyone else since the start of the pandemic, that is expected to change. The number of new daily cases and the daily death toll have both dropped due to the U.S. having vaccinated more people than most other countries.
Read More: USA Today, Johns Hopkins, CDC
California Vaccine Lottery
Many states are trying out vaccine lotteries to incentivize people to get vaccinated with the chance to be in the running for huge prizes. California just announced the largest jackpot yet. Ten Californians aged 12 and older who have gotten at least one shot will be entered into a drawing to win $1.5 million each. The state is hoping to get millions of more people vaccinated before it fully reopens next month. The winners will be announced then.
Read More: SF Gate, AP, Vax For The Win
Other Vaccine Lotteries
Vaccine lotteries have been going on in multiple states already. Maryland, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and many others have already been offering incentives to their residents to get vaccinated. Just this week a 22-year-old woman in Ohio learned she won a million dollars. She said she doesn’t know how she plans to spend the money, but some will be donated and some will go toward the new car she’s been wanting. The rest will likely be invested, she said.
Read More: The Hill, NBC News, Axios, AP
New Cyber Requirements for Pipelines
The cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline a few weeks ago has now prompted a new, first-of-its-kind rule. The U.S. government will now require all companies that operate pipelines to alert the government within 12 hours if they’re hit with a cyberattack. They also must review their systems for vulnerabilities and come up with a plan to fix any that occur. Until now, these companies were told to report breaches, but it was voluntary and there was no requirement to follow through.
Read More: CBS News, Politico, Axios, Reuters
Indy 500 on Sunday
The Indianapolis 500 is on Sunday and is set to become the largest sporting event since the pandemic started. The event is sold out to 135,000 fans who plan to attend, though this is only about 40% of the venue’s capacity. Race organizers worked with local health officials. Indianapolis Motor Speedway also worked to get as many fans as possible vaccinated before the event, hosting vaccination clinics. You can watch the Indy 500 on NBC starting at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday.
Read More: AP, Axios, WXIN, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Oscars Set Date, Keep Streaming Rule
For the second year in a row, films that skipped a typical movie theater debut and went straight to video-on-demand will be eligible for an Oscar. The Academy said it’s because the industry is still impacted by the pandemic. Many theaters across the country have just started reopening in recent months, some with limited capacity. Still, only films that had originally planned to be released in theaters are eligible, with no made-for-TV movies being allowed in the running for now. Next year’s awards ceremony is set for March 27th, 2022.
Read More: NY Times, Variety, Oscars
Memorial Day
Monday is Memorial Day. It’s a time to remember the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military and to honor their sacrifice. Many in-person and virtual events are planned to honor the day. The National Memorial Day Concert will be pre-taped with an all-star lineup of performances and tributes. It will air Sunday evening on PBS stations and it will be streamed online. There will also be what’s known as the National Moment of Remembrance. Americans are asked to pause for a minute of silence at 3 PM local time.
Read More: History, Good Housekeeping, Fox News, Deadline, Today
CDC Urges Memorial Day Caution
While Memorial Day is specifically to honor America’s fallen heroes, veterans can expect deals and freebies to honor their service as well this weekend. Many restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, and more will be offering discounts and sales to veterans of the military. Memorial Day is also known as the unofficial start to summer and is used as a time to travel or get together with friends and family. While gatherings are becoming increasingly safer, the CDC is still urging caution, especially for those who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Read More: CNBC, NY Times, CNN
Feel Good Friday: Man Helps Other Ex-Convicts Become Personal Trainers
After spending a decade in prison for drug trafficking, New York City’s Hector Guadalupe got back on his feet in the real world thanks to fitness. Now, he’s helping other ex-convicts do the same. Guadalupe was certified as a personal trainer while in prison, but he struggled to find a job at a gym due to his criminal background. He finally got an opportunity and worked without a day off for four years. Now he runs a free eight-week program for formerly incarcerated men and women to help prepare them for the certification exam to become a personal trainer. Since the program started five years ago, more than 200 people have passed the exam and less than 1% have re-offended.
Read More: CNN, NY Times, Men’s Health, Second U Foundation