Debate: In the vice presidential debate last night, Republican Vice Presidential Candidate J. D. Vance repeated Donald Trump’s position that America wanted Roe v. Wade overturned and that decisions on women’s health care rights should be left to the states. Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate Tim Walz said that women’s rights should not be determined based on geography. Vance admitted that when he was running for Senate he advocated setting a national standard regarding those rights.
Missiles: Iran fired dozens of missiles at Israel’s key cities of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa in the largest attack by Iran on Israel in history. Israel said that it intercepted and destroyed most of the missiles but an Israeli air base was hit. The Pentagon said that U.S. Navy ships shot down some missiles. Israel said an early tally showed 180 missiles had been fired by Iran. Iran said that the attack was in retaliation for the Israeli attack on Beirut that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Helene: The confirmed death toll from storm Helene rose to 162 overnight across Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. Hundreds of roads remained closed and more than 1.5 million customers were without power in the affected states. Scientists say that climate change made Helene into the powerful storm it became as it gathered strength over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall in Florida.
Strike: The strike of the International Longshoremen’s Association at the nation’s East and Gulf Coast ports continued with the union and management disagreeing over how many workers are involved. CNN said the union reported that 50,000 workers were covered under the expired contract and management said the number was 25,000. Management said that it has increased its offer of a new six-year contract to include a 50% wage increase. The union wants a 77% pay increase that would make the top pay $69 an hour.
Frank Fritz: Frank Fritz, who appeared on the TV series “American Pickers,” has died at age 60 in Davenport, Iowa. In the series, Fritz and his associate Mike Wolfe would go around the country from small town to small town looking for interesting and collectible items to buy. A friend said that Fritz suffered a stoke in 2022 from which he never fully recovered.
John Amos: Actor John Amos, who starred in the hit TV series “Good Times” and played the adult Kunta Kinte in the miniseries “Roots” has died at age 84 in Los Angeles. Amos had hoped to have a long career as a professional football player but only was with the Kansas City Chefs for a short time. He then moved to New York and became a social worker, then became an actor. He also is remembered for playing weathercaster Gordy Howard on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
