COVID Stats Snapshot 2-17-21
The Florida Department of Health reported another 7,342 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.
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Fort Worth Star-TelegramColonial Country Club now selling high-end tickets to select groups for 2021 tourney
Sponsors, hospitality customers and club members can purchase premium day passes for $475 or $575.
- The Independent
Marjorie Taylor Greene calls Liz Cheney ‘a fool’ for criticising Trump
Controversial congresswoman previously said the Republican party belong to former president
- The Independent
Biden raises human rights in call with Saudi king as intelligence officials to release report on Khashoggi killing
President Joe Biden has spoken with King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia ahead of the release of a report from US intelligence officials that is expected to reveal that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved and likely ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. A White House report of their phone call on Thursday did not disclose whether they discussed the findings in the report. The leaders “discussed regional security, including the renewed diplomatic efforts led by the United Nations and the United States to end the war in Yemen, and the US commitment to help Saudi Arabia defend its territory as it faces attacks from Iranian-aligned groups,” according to a readout of their call.
- Reuters Videos
Texas governor vows to fix state's electric grid
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday promised to overhaul the state’s electric power grid after rolling blackouts left residents without heat, power or water in a deadly winter storm last week."For those of you still hurting, I want you to know the state is using every possible resource to fix this problem. Many of you are angry and you have a right to be. I'm angry too. At a time when essential services were needed the most, the system broke.”The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, distributes power to nearly 90 percent of the state’s population.It’s faced sharp criticism for failing to preparefor severe cold when power outages caused billions of dollars of damage and left dozens dead.In Wednesday's broadcast address, Abbott blamed ERCOT.“Before the storm hit, ERCOT repeatedly assured the state and the public that ERCOT was prepared. Those assurances turned out to be false… ERCOT must be overhauled.”He added state officials are working on proposals to add more power to the electric grid.Six ERCOT directors have resigned and a board nominee declined a seat in the wake of last week's crisis.
- WCVB - Boston
Video: Warm winter temperatures will return after burst of colder air
The milder air will be coming back this weekend, but some rain will be arriving with it.
- Charlotte Observer
She taught piano to kids in NC for years. Then her daughter accused her of sex crimes.
This is the shocking story of the alleged sexual abuses that led to the January arrest of Sandra Hiler — aka Charlotte piano teacher Keiko Aloe — as told by her 21-year-old daughter.
- TheGrio
Florida mom discovers infant son missing after daycare gives him to stranger
A Florida daycare is under fire after giving a 7-month-old baby away to a stranger. When Trinity McCoggle arrived at the Orient Road Child Development Center on January 25 to pick up her 7-month-old son, Adonis, she was left distraught when told her baby had been accidentally given to someone assumed to be the child’s parent, ABC2 News reports. Describing what happened, McCoggle said the daycare worker “went to the back to get him, and when she came back, she said, He’s not here.”
- TheGrio
LeBron James’ son Bronny suffers season-ending injury, undergoes surgery
This upcoming basketball season may be a little quieter for the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers after Lebron James Jr. suffered a torn meniscus in his knee. On Thursday, the LA Daily News reported Bronny mentioned the injury recently on Twitch, the live streaming platform mostly for gamers. Bronny, the eldest son of NBA superstar Lebron James, is a sophomore at Sierra Canyon and has already been ranked 19th nationally, regardless of position. 247sports.com, lists him as a four-star recruit on their ‘Class of 2023’ list.
- The State
Teen in hospital for sledding injury dies after dad died visiting her, Ohio mom says
“Her daddy got to heaven just before she did.”
- TODAY
9-year-old girl cries to virtual class that she's 'starving,' local food bank steps in
After the third-grader's classroom incident, a social worker connected the family to a local food bank.
- INSIDER
Residents of an Indian slum thought they were getting vaccinated like everyone else but were unknowingly part of a clinical trial
After a white van advertised COVID-19 vaccines to a central-Indian slum, many of its residents feel duped after finding out they were in a trial.
- INSIDER
Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler is out as owner of WNBA team, and the new owners include former star player who retired to fight for social justice
One month after WNBA players helped oust Kelly Loeffler from the Senate, the league announced that it had approved sale of the franchise she co-owned.
- Miami Herald
New exotic invasive snake captured in Everglades National Park. It’s likely a released pet
Visitors hiking the Mahogany Hammock Trail in Everglades National Park earlier this month spotted an unfamiliar snake. It turned out to be a brand new invasive species.
- Business Insider
Ted Cruz rants about comedians, late-night TV, and mask-wearing before shouting at people to 'just have fun' in wild CPAC speech
"Orlando is awesome. It's not as nice as Cancún, but it's nice," Cruz said, referring to the scandal he sparked by leaving Texas for Mexico.
- Miami Herald
They were stopped for speeding in the Keys. Then police smelled something fishy
Two commercial fisherman from the mainland were jailed Thursday after police said they were caught in the Keys with a haul of illegal seafood that started with 100 undersized wrung lobster tails.
- INSIDER
Ben Affleck says his divorce from Jennifer Garner and other 'life experience' shaped him into a better actor
In a new interview as part of The Hollywood Reporter's Actor Roundtable series, Affleck spoke about Garner and the three kids they share.
- Business Insider
Donald Trump Jr. gives fiery CPAC speech full of grievances against anti-Trump Republicans, big tech, and the mainstream media
Trump Jr. ranted about Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, saying her "politics are only slightly less popular than her father is at a quail hunt."
- Business Insider
Over a dozen GOP House members cited 'the ongoing health emergency' to skip in-person voting while they spoke at CPAC
Many GOP members, including some who voted by proxy during CPAC, have vocally criticized the system and even sued over it in court.
- Business Insider
Ted Cruz's colleagues mocked him by putting memes of his Cancun trip in the Senate gym locker room: 'Bienvenido de Nuevo, Ted!'
Those who turned up to the Senate gym Wednesday morning were welcomed by color printouts of Cruz's Cancun trip that read "Bienvenido de Nuevo, Ted!"
- ABC News Videos
New COVID variant in NYC
A new COVID-19 variant has arrived in New York and an FDA report says the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe ahead of its possible authorization. ABC’s Ike Ejiochi reports.