Breaking News Today
Breaking news today includes: SpaceX’s Crew-10 astronauts have returned home; a gunman opened fire on four Centers for Disease Control and Prevention buildings; one DeKalb County officer died due to gunfire; a proposed giant data center on Dale Earnhardt’s estate is creating controversy; as well as a 24/7 channel documenting car chases across America.
Table of Contents
1. President Trump’s State of the Union Address
President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress and laid out his legislative priorities for 2019. These included reducing costs for all Americans, strengthening our borders, unleashing American energy dominance and creating peace through strength.
Trump highlighted in his speech two new Executive Orders targeting international cartels and the recent rise in fentanyl overdose deaths caused by its use. Additionally, he stressed his “America First” trade policies; suggesting companies can opt between paying high tariffs or exiting altogether.
President Trump engaged directly in culturally charged areas during his speech, calling out Vice President Biden and criticizing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Finally, he highlighted his economic successes while hailing Elon Musk – but it remains to be seen if any of these initiatives will have a real impact on American lives.
2. Redistricting Arms Race
Playbook explores the redistricting battle brewing across the nation as we edge closer to next fall’s high-stakes midterm elections.
Texas drama has set off a domino effect, with Republican lawmakers looking to change district lines that could give them an advantage in Congress. Democratic leaders who can alter maps like California have threatened retaliatory measures.
Better Boundaries, the group behind Utah’s 2018 voter initiative to abolish partisan gerrymandering, has expressed concerns that any changes in another state could create a domino effect of their own. Vance has even expressed interest in traveling to Indiana in order to push for such a redraw – where GOP politicians may target Rep. Frank Mrvan’s district located in its northwest region as their target district.
3. Israel-Palestine Peace Deal
Israel must end its illegal occupation, settlement expansion and systemic discrimination or risk losing support from the international community and facing greater security risks.
On October 7, 1993, Palestinian armed groups carried out a string of suicide bombings, rocket attacks, kidnappings and kidnappings that resulted in the al-Aqsa Intifada.
After several weeks, Israel withdraws from most of the lands it had occupied since 1967 and handed control to Yasir Arafat’s Palestinian Authority; contentious “final status” issues will be left for later negotiations; Biden administration strongly encourages Israel to adhere to international law but does not endorse any deal; International Criminal Court prosecutor issues arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas officials on May 20, 2007.
4. DeKalb County Officer’s Death
DeKalb County police officer Timothy Smith was fatally shot while responding to reports of an active shooter near Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Police Chief Darin Schierbaum reports multiple agencies responded to reports of gunfire at Emory Point CVS where 30-year-old Patrick White of Kennesaw shot at CDC buildings as well as officers responding there.
Rose, 33, joined the force 11 months ago as a new officer and graduated from police academy this March after serving his time with Marines. He leaves behind his wife and two children.
Police were able to find and apprehend a shooter on the second floor of CVS who later died from gunshot wounds, multiple windows were damaged on multiple CDC buildings, but no civilians were hit; all 92 children in day care on campus remained safe and undamaged.
5. Dale Earnhardt’s Data Center
Hulking structures to house America’s insatiable hunger for computing power are popping up all across the country, prompting some to worry they will overstretch electric grid capacity, pollute air and water supplies or simply disrupt rural peace with high-tech noise pollution. But proponents counter by saying such facilities bring jobs and tax revenue to struggling areas.
Teresa Earnhardt, widow of seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt (Intimidator), wants to rezone 400 acres near Mooresville to allow Denver-based Tract’s development of a data center there. Kerry Earnhardt, Intimidator’s eldest son and former racer himself has joined local residents in opposing this plan.
Last week, Mooresville Mayor Chris Carney voiced doubt over Tract’s venture by suggesting he wouldn’t vote to approve its rezoning proposal until they announced which tech company will utilize the campus. At another meeting held earlier in February, an attentive audience provided more details and raised their objections about Tract’s project and voiced their opinions.
