Thursday, July 2nd, 2020
Mask Mandate Debate, Most Valuable Automaker & 90s Cartoon Comeback
(+ Voting in a Pandemic)
All the news you need in less than 10 min:
This episode is brought to you by www.FunctionofBeauty.com/newsworthy.
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 perusing the latest happenings...
More States Reverse Reopenings
COVID-19 outbreaks are growing more severe in the United States, so several states are scrapping reopening plans. California decided to re-close bars, theaters, and indoor restaurant dining statewide. Arizona closed water parks, bars, gyms, and movie theaters. New York City also decided not to reopen restaurants for indoor dining next week as planned. Still, the outbreaks are worst in the southern and western parts of the U.S. For the first time yesterday, the number of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. surpassed 50,000 in a single day.
Read More: AP, USA Today, CBS News, NY Times
Case Count/Death Toll: Johns Hopkins, CNN
AAP Gives School Guidance
The nation’s pediatricians want kids to go back to in-person school this fall. The American Academy of Pediatrics put out a strong statement this week advising schools to start planning to have students physically present, despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19. The AAP argues remote learning is likely to lead to learning loss or emotional/health issues from social isolation. Still, the new guidance stresses the importance of having measures in place to lower the risks, like cleaning, social distancing, and using outdoor spaces.
Read More: AAP, WSJ, NYT, NPR
Trump Changes Tone on Masks
President Trump is changing his tone on face coverings. He told Fox News he’s “all for masks” and if he found himself in a tight crowd, he would wear one. However, he hasn’t worn one in public yet and in recent months, he said wearing a mask wouldn’t look presidential. Now, Trump says he likes the mask look. However, he doesn’t want to mandate masks because he thinks wearing them should be a personal choice.
Read More: AP, CNN, FOX News, USA Today
Mask Mandate Could Save Economy
A new report from Goldman Sachs says if masks were required nationwide, the economy would improve. It says it could save the U.S. GDP from another 5% loss. Already the GDP fell 5% in the first quarter of the year. Shutdowns around the country were mostly to blame, so Goldman Sachs says it’s important to prevent more of them. Requiring face coverings could be one way to do that.
Read More: USA Today, CNBC, ABC News, Business Insider
Seattle Protest Zone Cleared
The protest zone in Seattle, first known as CHAZ, then CHOP, is now gone. Police officers turned out in force to clear protesters out of the area yesterday. They were following orders from the city’s mayor who said CHOP was no longer safe. It started as a place to peacefully protest and camp. However, violence broke out. People were even killed in recent shootings. So police moved back in and protesters were kicked out.
Read More: Seattle Times, AP, Reuters, WSJ, FOX News, Mayor Durkan
Confederate Statues Removed
In Richmond, Virginia, the mayor ordered all Confederate statues to come down right away. That includes those standing on the historical Monument Avenue. Already, the statue of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson has been removed. In recent weeks, there have been mass protests in the city from people demanding the statues come down. In some cases, people even tried to remove the statues themselves. Now, the government is taking care of it.
Read More: WaPo, CNN, FOX News, Axios
DHS Guarding Monuments
Over the 4th of July weekend, the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for protecting U.S. monuments around the country. The federal agency established a task force to guard historic landmarks. People will still be allowed to protest, but not to vandalize or destroy public property. However, it’s not clear exactly where the task force will go or how many people will be deployed.
Read More: AP, Al Jazeera, ABC News
World’s Most Valuable Automaker
Tesla is now the most valuable car company in the world. Its market value stands at nearly $219 billion, making the automaker worth more than Toyota, Ford, GM, Honda, or any other company. Still, Tesla is behind others when it comes to actual production and revenue. Toyota reportedly sold 30 times more cars than Tesla last year and its revenues were more than 10 times higher. Telsa’s high market value likely shows investors are optimistic about electric cars.
Read More: TechCrunch, CNBC, Forbes, CNN
NASA Pays Millions to Small Biz
NASA is going to help bankroll companies who have proposals for new technologies. The space agency chose more than 300 companies in 44 states and Washington, D.C. to receive up to $125,000 in grants each. These companies came up with ideas like a smart air-traffic control system, a water purification system for the moon, and a compact sterilizer that could be used by healthcare workers. NASA hopes some of these ideas can move onto the next phase of development by next year.
Read More: TechCrunch, NASA
Odwalla Going Out of Business
Smoothie and juice maker Odwalla is shutting down at the end of this month. The brand, owned by Coca Cola, makes bottled smoothies in fruit and veggie flavors. They were sold in grocery stores nationwide. However, the brand has been struggling for years. Shipping them in refrigerated trucks is costly and the company reportedly couldn’t make the brand cost-effective.
Read More: FOX Business, WSJ, Business Insider, CNN
NFL Shortens Preseason
The NFL is reportedly cutting its preseason in half. ESPN says players are going to need more time to get in shape. So fans can expect the first and fourth weeks of the preseason to be canceled. That will leave just two preseason games for each team, scheduled in the last two weeks of August. Players still have to report to training camps on July 28. Pro basketball will also be back this month. 22 NBA teams will be in Orlando, Florida for training next week.
Read More: USA Today, ESPN, AP
Beavis & Butthead Comeback
A famous comedy duo is making a comeback. Beavis and Butthead was a cartoon that debuted in 1993. It was about two teenagers who sat on the couch and talked about social issues in a somewhat raunchy way. The series originally aired on MTV, but now, it’s being reimagined for Comedy Central. Mike Judge, who created the first version, will write and produce this one too. He’s also going to voice both main characters again. He said, “it seemed like the right time to get stupid again.”
Read More: AP, CNN, MTV, Variety
Thing to Know Thursday: voting in a Pandemic
Read more: CBS News, NY Times, The Atlantic
Voting Resources: Vote.org, Rockthevote.org
Guest: Kim Wehle
Kim Wehle is a tenured Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she teaches and writes on the constitutional separation of powers, administrative law, and civil procedure. She was formerly an Assistant United States Attorney and an Associate Counsel in the Whitewater Investigation. She is regularly interviewed and cited by prominent print journalists on a range of legal issues. She lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with her children.
Get her new book here
Check out her website here
Photo Courtesy: Tim Coburn Photography