Alabama tornado, vaccinated teen, winter chill: 5 things to know Tuesday
Stunned Alabama searches for missing after tornado kills 23
First responders in Alabama continue to hunt for survivors after a devastating tornado killed at least 23 people, injured dozens more, smashed homes, snapped power lines and toppled a massive steel cell tower on Sunday. The tornado was part of a powerful storm system that also ripped through parts of Florida, South Carolina and Georgia. The area had been warned of possible tornadoes days before the storm, but Lee County residents only had warnings eight to nine minutes before the killer twister struck. Evidence indicated the storm roared through as an EF-4 in strength with winds of about 170 mph. At least three children – ages 6, 9 and 10 – have died. The tornado was the nation's most deadly since 2013.
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Teen who got vaccinated against mom's wishes heads to DC
An Ohio teenager who made headlines for defying his mother's wishes and getting vaccinated at 18 will share his experience in front of Congress Tuesday. Ethan Ethan Lindenberger of Norwalk, Ohio, said he’s looking forward to speaking about "outbreaks of preventable diseases as well as addressing misinformation that causes these outbreaks." His story went viral after he reached out to Reddit users three months ago and has since received vaccines for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza and HPV. People choosing not to vaccinate have become a global health threat in 2019, the World Health Organization reported.Lindenberger will be testifying at a hearing for the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor, and Pensions.
March sadness: 220 million to freeze as another storm takes aim on California
Winter isn't giving up without a fight. Following a frigid Monday, another day of record cold is forecast to chill millions across the central and eastern U.S. How cold? Some 220 million Americans will wake up Tuesday morning to temperatures at or below freezing. There won't be any relief Wednesday, as high temperatures both days "are expected to be roughly 15 to 30 degrees below early March averages for most locations east of the Rocky Mountains," the National Weather Service said. Meanwhile, yet another storm is forecast to slam into California on Tuesday and into Wednesday, dropping torrential rain along the coast and feet of snow in the mountains.
Deadline for NFL teams to tag impending free agents is Tuesday
The NFL's annual window for teams to tag impending free agents closes on Tuesday — eight days before unfettered free agency begins. A handful of players already have received franchise tags from their respective teams, including the Dallas Cowboys' Demarcus Lawrence and Houston Texans' Jadeveon Clowney. Here's a look at one player for — almost — every team who might be a logical tag candidate.
Break out the beads: It's Mardi Gras
Today marks the celebration of Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday. Mardi Gras, which means "Fat Tuesday" in French, is observed the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Christian Lent season leading up to Easter. Many Christians fast during Lent, and the name Fat Tuesday refers to the last day of eating richer foods before the leaner days of Lent begin. In America, celebrations for Mardi Gras are most famous in New Orleans, where colorful "krewes" lead parades around the city. Looking for deals on meals to celebrate? We've got you covered.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama tornado, vaccinated teen, winter chill: 5 things to know Tuesday
